Agitation over ILP
SHILLONG: The Grand Council of Chiefs will meet Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma on Thursday to discuss the prevailing situation arising out of the agitation called by pro-ILP pressure groups in the State.
The Council, comprising of Ka Dorbar Ki Khlieh Nongsynshar Ka Ri Hynniewtrep, Federation of Khasi States, Ka Dorbar Ki Doloi, Ki Sirdarship and Council of Nokma met here on Wednesday to discuss issues pertaining to the State.
“We are concerned over the prevailing situation and are of the unanimous view that these issues could always be settled through talks,” Chairman of the Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya, John F Kharshiing, said.
Kharshiing informed that last year, the Grand Council, through its representative Dr Balajied S Syiem who was a member of the High Level Committee on Influx, had submitted it views to the Government recommending a series of measures such as amendment and enforcement of the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act, strengthening the present District Council Acts and Rules of the Traditional Institutions, and implementation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act in the Sixth Schedule areas.
Pointing out that there are only 29 police stations, 5 beat house; and 36 outposts covering about 3600-odd villages in the entire Khasi and Jaintia Hills region, and only 19 police stations, 6 beat houses and about 30 outposts covering about 3000-odd villages in Garo Hills region, Kharshiing impressed on the need to rope in traditional bodies to tackle the issue of influx.
“Without the involvement of the local authorities such as Dorbar Shnong, Syiemship, Lyngdohship, Sirdarship, Dolloiship, Wahadadar and Nokmaship, any mechanism to check influx or infiltration would prove futile,” Kharshiing added.
Meanwhile, the Council of Chiefs has also decided to seek the Government’s intervention into a letter sent from the Ministry of Home Affairs in consultation with the three Autonomous District Councils last year.
“We will ask the State Government to urgently address matters arising out of the letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs in consultation with the three ADCs,” Kharshiing said, while informing that in July 2012, the Ministry of Home Affairs had sent a letter to the Meghalaya Chief Secretary asking the State Government to give its opinion on the memorandum sent by the Council of Chiefs last year on the matter pertaining to the Instrument of Accession, 1947.
The Council also discussed the KHADC Village Administration Bill, 2013 and on the need for a KHADC Clan Bill (Dorbar Kur or Seng Kur).
In this connection, the Grand Council of Chiefs resolved to meet the KHADC CEM, Pynshngain N Syiem, and the Select Committee of the KHADC to discuss issues relating to the Village Administration Bill.
“We urged the 3367 Khasi Pnar Clan Dorbar to convene their clan durbar and to notify their authorized persons empowered to issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) in connection with the issue of Schedule Tribe Certificates,” Kharshiing said, while asking the Dorbar to provide the KHADC and the respective district deputy commissioners with details about their authorized representatives including their addresses and contact details.