‘Fake deal’ shows poor check before land registration in Ri Bhoi

NONGPOH: The Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), northern region, and a local Durbar comprising six villages in Ri Bhoi have opposed a villager’s decision to sell land without a no-objection certificate and with fake information.
Documents available with the revenue branch of the deputy commissioner’s office show Aisail N. Sangma of Umlathu village has 654 acres of land.
But the headmen of six villages alleged that Sangma has a small plot of land at Umlathu. They claimed that land in six villages – Nagrabil, Pilangku A, Pilangku B, Umsen, Umlathu and Pahangola – is under threat from the fake deal.
Umlathu headman John Paul Mawlong said Sangma did not inform the Durbar about his intention to sell the plot without a no-objection certificate.
Moreover, the general power of attorney submitted by Sangma to the revenue branch of the DC’s office, signed by the first class magistrate, stated that his father had expired. But villagers claimed that he is still alive.
Mawlong and other headmen have asked the Ri Bhoi district administration to cancel Sangma’s land registration.
The incident has also brought to light how land is registered without proper verification.
The president of HNYF northern region, Marcus Marten, told the headmen and villagers that the organisation would take up the matter with the Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner.