NST row
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With the KHADC Budget session set to begin on Tuesday, residents from over 20 villages of New Shillong along with pressure groups from the State urged the Council to pass a resolution demanding a moratorium on acquisition of community land for the New Shillong Township (NST) project by the State Government.
The delegation which includes members of CSWO,
KSU, HNYF and FKJGP said
that it is the duty of the KHADC to safeguard the interests of the tribal people.
The District Council has been specifically formed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to especially safeguard the land and forest (of the tribal people) and the KHADC should ensure that a resolution to this effect is passed in this session, the delegation said.
While demanding the State Government to put a stop to all acquisition for the NST project against people’s wishes, the delegation said that such rampant acquisition of community land is unwarranted.
“The land acquisition should stop as it is clear that the Government is acting as an agent to acquire Raid land for companies which cannot be entertained and also violates the Meghalaya Land Transfer Regulation Act 1971,” said a release issued here on Monday.
“We have petitioned the KHADC to act immediately such that we are not pushed to adopt other democratic means to protect our land and rights,” the release added.
Meanwhile, five-day Budget Session of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) which is scheduled to conclude on June 24 would see the tabling of two important bills by the KHADC Executive Committee- KHADC Village Administration Bill, 2013 and KHADC Delimitation Bill, 2013.
During the session, the KHADC is also scheduled to pass the budget for the current fiscal year (2013-2014) on the concluding day.
Meanwhile, heads of traditional institutions from 29 villages of Laitkroh constituency are opposing the proposed delimitation bill.