Ronnie allays building bye law concerns

SHILLONG: Urban affairs minister Ronnie V Lyngdoh has allayed apprehensions over the implementation of Meghalaya Urban Development Authority Building Bye Laws in the Upper Shillong area, saying they were for the benefit of the masses and that most of the Rangbah Shnongs of the area have welcomed the legislation.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, Lyngdoh said that if people were facing any inconvenience because of the legislation, the government would definitely look into the matter.  
“The Rangbah Shnongs in the area find it difficult to regulate the construction of buildings in the absence of regulation. Most of them have welcomed the bye laws despite a few hiccups. If there any concerns, the government would address them,” the minister said.
Citing an example, he said some people in Umlyngka have constructed houses and there was hardly any way of discharging waste water from the house. “Such instances should be addressed. Except for building bye laws, MUDA has not implemented any other activity in those areas,” he said.
According to Lyngdoh, areas under MUDA do not receive the benefits of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act.
“But many villages in Upper Shillong including Umlynga, Mylliem and others enjoy the benefits of MNREGA. In fact recently, 165 families were provided schemes for cattle rearing, and if the area was under MUDA, they would not have had access to the schemes,” Lyngdoh said.
Earlier, former KHADC chief executive member Pynshngain N Syiem had asked the state government to convene a special session of the Assembly to amend the Meghalaya Town and Country Planning Act, 1973, with an aim to end the alleged encroachment of scheduled areas by MUDA.
The Synjuk Ki Nongsyn-shar Shnong Upper Shillong, comprising 12 villages, have unanimously resolved to oppose the implementation of the building bye-laws by MUDA.