SHILLONG: Following a directive from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to remove all illegal structures along the Wahumkhrah River, the Urban Affairs department has issued notices to the owners of as many as 300 such structures.
Informing this here on Sunday, Principal Secretary to the Urban Affairs Department, P Naik said that the inventory has also been completed.
“Action will be taken shortly,” Naik added.
It may be mentioned that the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has received as many as 200 responses from residents near the Wahumkhrah River following the NGT order for removal of illegal structures along the river.
The issue of protection of Wahumkhrah River will come for hearing in the NGT on May 27 and the matter will be taken up at the Kolkata bench of the Tribunal. The NGT Special Circuit Bench of the Eastern Zone had on January 29 directed the MUDA to demolish all unauthorized constructions along the banks of the Wahumkhrah and Umshyrpi rivers in accordance with the provisions of law within three months.Justice Salvi directed that the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of East Khasi Hills extend all necessary assistance to MUDA in demolition of the unauthorized structures. The tribunal passed this order after taking cognizance to the submission made by the State Government counsel Ranjan Mukherjee about the ruling of Divisional Bench of the Gauhati High Court in 2011 which had permitted MUDA to carry out an inspection along the river banks of Wahumkhrah to identify various unauthorized constructions.
