MAWKYRWAT, July 30: The demand for upgrade of Mawsynram Block into a Civil Subdivision has gained momentum after the people as well as local MLA HM Shangpliang and MDC Albin Sawkmie, besides UDP leader Oland Suin and traditional heads of Mawsynram, on Friday, extended full support to a conglomeration of NGOs of Mawsynram Block called ‘Ka Kynhun Ki Sengbhalang’ for their proposed mass movement to press the government to given ear to their demand.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting with stakeholders at Mawsynram, vice president of the conglomeration, Gilbert K Raswai, said that they will meet Chief Minister Conrad Sangma next week to submit a memorandum of their demand.
“We will listen to what the CM and the Cabinet have to say. And if nothing happens, we will meet again and chalk out agitation programmes,” Raswai said.
Earlier while speaking at the meeting, Congress leader and Mawsynram MLA, Himalaya M Shangpliang, fired salvos at the MDA over the ‘apathy’ of the government to grant people their rights.
“In my view, it seems that the criteria did not come first while creating civil subdivisions or districts, if taken from the criteria, how come Ranikor got Civil Subdivision while Mawsynram didn’t…if you compare the areas, Mawsynram is bigger; we have more population and more villages. How come Mairang suddenly got a district? While Sohra, which we all expected to be upgraded to a district, was not. And when the people of Sohra went to demand, the answer was ‘fund constraints’. Therefore, it all depends on the political will of the government and not the criteria,” Shangpliang said.
“Therefore, we should put pressure on the government…and we will not allow (us) to be ignored. There should be no politics to be played behind this,” the MLA said, adding that he is ready to work together with the MDC, Albin Sawkmie, who is from the ruling NPP, to demand for the upgrade of Mawsynram block.
Mawsynram MDC Albin Sawkmie, on the other hand, pointed out that this was the first time that pressure groups and political parties have come together for a common cause to demand for the upgrade of Mawsynram Block into a Civil Subdivision.
Sawkmie maintained that the CM had earlier said that he supports the cause and that Mawsynram deserves to be upgraded into a Civil Subdivision.
Calling for unity among the people of Mawsynram, UDP leader Oland Suin said, “If we get the Civil Subdivision, the tourism industry will flourish in Mawsynram along with other benefits. Yes we know that there will be financial problems for the government, but if there is a will, there is no problem. Let the government declare (Mawsynram) as a Civil Subdivision and it will look like the skeleton, but slowly it will develop”.
