By Our Reporter
in his office chamber on Monday. (ST)
SHILLONG: Meghalaya Revenue Minister Prof RC Laloo on Monday said that the transfer of land by the Shillong Cantonment Board to the State Government for extension of a Parking Lot at Luckier Road, which has been pending since 2005, will be taken up for redressal with the State Committee on Transfer of Defence Land which is headed by Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma.
The Minister made the announcement during his meeting with members of various Dorbar, KSU and FKJGP who met him here to apprise him on the status of the issue while at the same time seeking his intervention to expedite the transfer of land to the State Government for public utility.
“The Minister has assured us that the issue will be taken up with the State Committee on Transfer of Defence Land and be deliberated upon and examined at length,” FKJGP general secretary Wellbirth Rani said after the meeting.
Rani recalled that as per the Shillong Cantonment Board resolution dated August 28, 2000, it was resolved to recommend transfer of the said land to the State Government for extension of a parking lot, but due to the validity of the existing lease with the lessee (L) JN Bawri, the transfer could not be completed and is due till date.
Pointing out that the lease of (L) JN Bawri had expired on February 14, 2005, Rani said, “The State Government did not take up the issue even after the expiry of the lease and it is still pending despite several requests from the Dorbar heads and NGOs.”
Meanwhile, KSU general secretary Auguster Jyrwa stated that proper use of the land will help decongest the otherwise clogged, snail-paced traffic from Motphran to Garikhana.
On the other hand, headmen of Lama Villa, Quallapatty, Mawkhar, Paltan Bazaar and Umsohshun also endorsed similar views and hoped that the government would act upon the matter at the earliest.
On the delay of the State Government in addressing the issue, Jyrwa pointed out that concern over the pending transfer of land was voiced out many a time in the State Assembly but had remained unheard.