Impending influx issue
SHILLONG: A delegation of Social Organisations of Meghalaya Against Land Alienation (SOMALA) led by convener W. Anthony met Chief Minister Conrad Sangma at his residence and handed a petition regarding the impending influx on Tuesday.
The delegation stressed on the importance of re-notifying the notification dated May 22, 1980 which empowers the Deputy Commissioner and Sub-Divisional Officer as competent authority which is currently outdated.
The notification superseded the role of the District Council as competent authority with a view to improve its performance but maintained that the competent authority as notified is a complete failure for the past 40 years, since 1980 as it has not performed its role in anyway. The SOMALA said that the dormant competent authority may be activated and re-notified in order to make it up to date and perform its task earnestly to check influx.
Again, the social organisation said that if the government is not ready to re- notify, it may be withdrawn so that the power of the competent authority may be reverted to the District Council which may delegate power to the traditional institutions and headmen as well.