From Our Correspondent
NONGSTOIN: The West Khasi Hills district administration, on behalf of the State Government, has sought a week’s time to resolve the dispute regarding construction of a market shed at Langpih in West Khasi Hills District, which was abandoned due to interference from Assam police personnel.
West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sylvester Kharlyngdoh made the assurance to a delegation consisting of Sirdar of Hima Raid Mynsaw, Hindro Samakha, chairman of the Synjuk ki Nongsynshar Shnong Langpih Area, Trasdingland Nonglang, local MLA cum MDC, KP Pangniang, and 20 other headmen of the Raid Mynsaw who called on him to discuss the issue after having earlier gathered at the District Council Office at Nongstoin.
During the meeting at the KHADC office, the delegation from Langpih discussed and finalized their list of demands which they wanted to place before the Government.
Later, the delegation met the Deputy Commissioner and enquired whether there were any orders or instructions from the Government regarding construction of the market shed at Langpih.
On learning that the Government was yet to take a decision on the issue of the market shed at Langpih, the delegation appraised Kharlyngdoh of the difficulties faced by the residents of Langpih in the absence of a market shed.
“The villagers of Langpih face lots of difficulty which attempting to sell their wares during the market days. During the rainy season the situation is further aggravated,” Hindro Samakha stated.
He also questioned the Deputy Commissioner on the reasons behind the State Government’s delay tactics over the Langpih issue.
Kharlyngdoh asserted the delegation that the Langpih issue, being complex in nature, needed time to be resolved. He further pointed out that if the Meghalaya Government were to issue orders for resumption of the construction work at the market area, there would be stiff resistance by the Assam police stationed at Langpih.
He urged the delegation to give the Government one week and assured that he would take up the issue with the Chief Secretary and urge him to come up with a solution to the Langpih issue at the earliest.
“I was the one to initiate the construction of the market shed at Langpih. If there had been no interference from the Assam Government, the shed would have been functional by now,” Kharlyngdoh stated.
Speaking to The Shillong Times later, Hindro Samakha, said, “We have accepted the Deputy Commissioner’s proposal to give the Government one more week. However, if the Government still does not take any step to resolve the issue within the allotted time, we will commence the construction of the market shed with or without the permission of the Government of Meghalaya.”