Trading licence for non-indigenous businessmen
SHILLONG: The KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Ardent Basaiawmoit informed that the Executive Committee has decided to make it mandatory that all No Objection Certificates (NOCs) given to a non-tribal for application of trading licence will have to be approved by the Dorbar Shnong.
“We will no longer accept the NOC issued by the Rangbah Shnong. The Rangbah Shnong will have to convene a meeting of the Dorbar Shnong before issuing any NOC,” Basaiawmoit informed here on Saturday.
He said that they took this decision since they received reports that there were many Rangbah Shnongs who were issuing NOCs without verifying the antecedent of the non-tribal businessmen who applied for it.
“We will not hesitate to initiate action against the Rangbah Shnong who issued the NOC without the approval of the Dorbar Shnong,” the KHADC CEM said.
Meanwhile, he said that the EC has also decided not to issue any fresh trading licences on those trades which the local indigenous people are able to do on their own while adding that they would also cancel the trading licence which have been issued on all those trades which the local people have taken up.
“With the local indigenous people at present being able to take any kind of business activities and jobs on their own, I think it is time that the Council stops issuing fresh trading licences,” Basaiawmoit said.
He said that Trade by Non-Tribal Regulation Act of 1959 clearly states that the Council cannot issue licences to a non-tribal entity obtaining a trading licence if a tribal is competent enough to do the same trade.
Meationably, Clause 3 A (b) of the said regulation has clearly mentioned that trading licence shall not be issued in cases “where there is a tribal who carries on the same trade or is willing to carry on such trade for which the application of the licence is made”.
Earlier, KHADC Executive Member (EM) in-charge of trade, Latiplang Kharkongor, who is also a KHNAM MDC from Nongthymmai informed that the Council has decided to stop issuing of fresh trading licences to non-tribals to protect local interests in trade and labour.
He informed that new Executive Committee is making all efforts to streamline the functioning of the District Council in such a way that the interest and welfare of the local indigenous people are protected.
Stating that proper screening would also be taken up, Kharkongor said that the Council has decided not to issue licences on trades which are familiar and can be taken up by the local people, adding that those licences issued earlier on such trades to non-tribals would be canceled by the Council.
According to him, the decision was taken after seeing the impact of rampant issuing of licences encouraging inflow of illegal migrants into the region which in turn is taking away livelihood of the local people. The Council is seeking reports from each of the four districts under its jurisdiction on the number of trading licences issued till date, he informed, adding that renewal of such licence would be made after approval of the village councils (dorbar).
Kharkongor attributed the increasing criminal cases due to the failure of the State to control inflow of illegal migrants that take advantage of enormous demand for labour.