Minister keen to avoid spat with councils

SHILLONG: Newly-appointed District Council Affairs Minister (DCA) Hamlet Dohling on Thursday said that the state government does not want any confrontation with the autonomous district councils (ADCs).
“It does not look good if there is confrontation between the district councils and the state government,” he told reporters here.
Dohling’s comments come against the backdrop of frequent run-ins between the councils and the state government over assorted issues.
He said that the rumblings in the KHADC are due to problems created by the MDCs adding that the absence of Tenth Schedule allows them to switch parties and allegiance.
“As elected representatives, they should be disciplined”, he said.
As for the financial crisis in the councils of Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills, Dohling said that the concerned departments and the chief minister will be consulted on the matter.
Harijan Colony road closure
Dohling, who is also a member of High Level Committee on the Harijan Colony issue, said that the road in the locality will remain closed for the time being.
It may be mentioned that there has been a demand to reopen the road as it would help ease traffic congestion.
He said in the last High Level Committee meeting, a consultative committee headed by him was constituted. He said that the consultative committee discusses and examines issues relating to district council and Hima Mylliem in the context of Harijan Colony and informed that it has prepared a report.
“We are going to submit the report of the consultative committee in the next meeting of the High Level Committee very soon”, Dohling said adding that there have been three meetings of the consultative committee so far.