TURA: Former Chairman of the ANVC (B) and self-styled Tura Nokma, Bernard Rimpu N Marak has said that he will challenge the order of the Deputy Commissioner issued against him.
“People should know that Tura has been removed from the provision of the Sixth Schedule by introduction of Mauza X by GHADC. Mauza X is a general area (Khas mahal) which does not fall under the Hill Council and the provisions of the Sixth Schedule. There are only 4 Hill Mauzas in Garo Hills (Mauza 1,2,3 and 4) and others are not Hill Mauzas. Tura has been discreetly changed to a general area by GHADC to facilitate Government to occupy land without acquisition,” Marak said in a statement.
Stating that Mauza X also created a platform for introduction of the municipality in the Sixth Schedule area which goes against constitutional provision, Marak said his attempt was to re-establish the Hill Mauza II in Tura as recorded in the map of Danakgre A’king and the traditional bodies and administration as per the “Agreed Text for Agreement” signed earlier.
“Garo Hills is a Hill District of the Hill people and to safeguard the interest of the Hill people, the District Council was constituted through the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution. How GHADC has violated the very provision of the Sixth Schedule which created it is debatable. GHADC was supposed to be a non-political institution and tribal-based, but State Government controlled it for many years by intruding GHADC politically and making it into a political Institution,” he claimed.
Marak while also reminding that other district councils like the KHADC and JHADC do not issue pattas, questioned under what provision of law the GHADC was issuing the same.