SHILLONG: The meeting between members of the Council of Traditional Dorbar (COTD) and the KHADC decided to seek the intervention of the State Government on issues involving the Khasi Hills district council.
The KHADC CEM, PN Syiem, said that a delegation of the COTD will meet Governor V. Shanmuganathan and District Council Affairs Minister Prestone Tynsong with the objective to expedite the assent to the Council of Traditional Dorbar Bill, 2015, which was passed by the KHADC. “We are optimistic that the Bill will get the assent of the Governor,” Syiem said.
Highlighting the need to segregate the role of the District Council and that of MUDA vis-à-vis the Meghalaya Building byelaws, the delegation noted the urgency to meet Urban Affairs Minister Ronnie Lyngdoh to discuss the matter that has been the bone of contention between the Council and the State Government lately.
“We need to discuss with the State Government about the MUDA Building byelaws to get more clarity on how to go about it,” Syiem said, adding, “As per the Meghalaya Town and Country Planning Act, 1973, the MUDA cannot extend its jurisdiction in the Scheduled areas if no consent has been taken from the Council. Till date the Government has not sought the consent of the KHADC. Only after consultation with us can we take a decision.”
It may be noted that the issue of MUDA’s alleged encroachment on scheduled areas has created an unstable relationship between the District Council and the State Government with the KHADC CEM taking exception to MUDA’s proposal to implement the Meghalaya Building Byelaws 2011 in the Scheduled areas without the consent of the Council.
He stated that the Secretariat has a cordial relationship with the Council and suggested that the two should sit and discuss issues of common concern. “We should sit together to understand the role of the Council and the MUDA,” he said.
The meeting also deliberated on providing an office of the COTD at the KHADC. “There is a need to establish a permanent office of the COTD and we will write to the Government on this issue to allocate funds from the Special Assistance Scheme,” Syiem said.
A general meeting of the COTD will be held on the first week of November where representatives of all the traditional institutions are expected to participate.
The Council of Traditional Dorbar also mourned the death of NK Lyngdoh, member of the COTD and the Lyngdoh of Hima Mawphlang and conveyed their condolences to the family members.
