By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: In a new twist to the land acquisition controversy of the New Shillong Township, the Mawpdang Dorbar Shnong has claimed that the Hima Khyrim Syiemship had in fact given the green signal for acquisition of over 1800 acres of land despite the areas being earmarked as ‘village forest’.
“The Syiem of Hima Khyrim Syiemship, Dr Balajied Syiem has given his consent to the proposed acquisition of the 1800 acres of land by the Government,” Mawpdang Dorbar Shnong Sordar Isaac Syiem told reporters during a press conference here on Monday.
This statement of the Mawpdang Dorbar Shnong has brought a new angle to the whole controversy since the Nongkrem Raid under Hima Khyrim Syiemship has expressed their strong opposition to the proposed acquisition of this land by the Government.
“We fail to understand why the Nongkrem Raid is now opposing this whole agreement. We had informed about the intention of the Dorbar Shnong to give the land to the Government. At that point of time, there was no objection from their part since they stated that we can do whatever with our land,” Syiem claimed.
Meanwhile, the Dorbar Shnong admitted that they failed to take any permission from the KHADC for giving their land to the Government.
Recently, Traditional heads of Nongkrem Raid including the Lyngdoh and lyngskor had threatened to take the matter to the apex court if required in view of the proposed acquisition of community land by the state government for the development of the new Shillong Township. They have also termed the 2006 agreement between the MUDA and Mawpdang dorbar shnong as “illegal”
Reacting on this, Syiem said, “If they (Nongkrem Raid) would go to court, we will also have to follow their footsteps since we have every right on our own land.”
The general secretary further reiterated that the Dorbar Shnong welcomed development to the area with the creation of the new Shillong Township.