KHADC amends town committee Act

SHILLONG: The three-day KHADC winter session drew to a close on Thursday with the Housed passing the United Khasi Jaintia Hills District (Establishment of Town Committee) Third Amendment Act, 2015, unopposed.
The KHADC EC in exercise of the powers conferred upon it  by the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous District (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951 under Rule 29 and 30, amended the United Khasi Jaintia Hills District (Establishment of Town Committee), Act, 1960.
The amended Section 8 of the Act states that “Provided that the Executive Committee may, by notification, exercise any of the duties and functions in areas where a Town Committee has not been constituted.”
The amendment serves as a tool to the Council to regulate its own construction of new buildings, houses, even the extension or alteration of existing houses.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Traditional Dorbar (FOTD) was accorded legal recognition as per the provision of the Sixth Schedule.
CEM P.N. Syiem observed that there have been misunderstandings among the stakeholders and the legal recognition will bring consistency in the traditional system of governance.
He maintained that barriers need to be removed between the Dorbar Raid, Dorbar Raid, Dorbar Shnong and District Council and to ensure that rights and interests of the traditional Dorbar are protected and further empowered.
The FOTD will comprise of KHADC CEM as Chairman, five members each from the KHADC, Hima Dorbar and Dorbar Raid, 10 members from Dorbar Shnong and Planning Officer KHADC as Member Secretary.
It may be reminded that the FOTD was constituted during the Dorbar Bah ka Bri u Hynniewtrep assembly called by the KHADC on September 5.