By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The ongoing KHADC Summer Session on Monday witnessed a heated debate over the stand taken by the State Government to undermine the importance of the traditional heads within the jurisdiction of the Council.
The MDCs were not happy over the letter written by Soil and Conservation Under Secretary asking KHADC secretary to write to the Khlieh Nongsynshar (traditional heads) within the Sohra Sub Division not to interfere with the implementation of the Government schemes.
The Khlieh Nongsynshar on May 27 last had written a letter to Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma requesting him not to withdraw the amount of Rs 27 crore sanctioned under the Sohra Ecological Project.
The Khlieh Nongsynshar was of the view that the project was of great importance to the people of Sohra while also expressing their disappointment over this decision to withdraw the amount sanctioned under the scheme without any justification.
Disappointed with this attitude of the Government, Sohra MDC Tistosstarwell Chyne raised this issue in floor of the House by stating that this attitude of the State Government to undermine the traditional heads is unacceptable.
‘Being a constitutional body, the Council should give a befitting reply to the State Government not to insult the traditional heads in this way,” Chyne said.
Jaiaw MDC Adelbert Nongrum demanded that the Executive Committee (EC) should ask the Government to withdraw this statement which is inflicting an insult to the traditional heads.
“If this is the attitude of the Government, I feel that the traditional heads should boycott themselves from assisting in the implementation of the various Government schemes,” he said.
In reply, KHADC CEM Pynshngaiñ N Syiem assured that the EC would give a befitting reply to this letter of the State Government.