SHILLONG: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council will study all land documents of Punjabi Lane (Them Iew Mawlong) and send its suggestions to the High Level Committee set up by the government, said the council’s chief executive member PN Syiem on Tuesday.
Syiem is a member of the committee that was formed on Monday to look into the demand for relocating the residents of Punjabi Lane to another place.
Stating that the executive committee of the KHADC will sit on Wednesday to decide on the next course of action, Syiem informed that the KHADC has directed the Syiem of Hima Mylliem to immediately furnish the documents and submit a brief report on the status of the land at Them Iew Mawlong.
Syiem asserted that the stand of the ruling People’s Democratic Alliance is shifting authorised settlers working under different government departments and evicting the illegal ones. He alleged that the Syiem of Hima Mylliem issued rampant land pattas to illegal settlers when an agreement signed with the Shillong Municipal Board exists.
“It is surprising that the Syiem granted permission for construction of the gurdwara as well as the opening up of business establishments when the agreement signed between the Syiem and the SMB states that the land is meant to accommodate workers and not for any other purposes,” he said.
Meanwhile, NPP’s district council member HS Shylla said the land at Them Iew Mawlong belongs to Nongkhlaw and Kurkalang clans and asserted that it was illegal of the Syiem of Hima Mylliem to issue pattas as only the clans have the right to do so.
The ruling alliance in the KHADC also condemned the assault of three local Khasi boys at Punjabi Lane.
