NONGSTOIN, Sep 24: Traditional heads of four circles in West Khasi Hills — Marngor Circle and Laitkseh Circle under Nongstoin Constituency, and Nongriat Circle and Mawlangsu Circle under Rambrai Jyrngam Constituency — registered a lukewarm response when they were posed with a question to choose between West Khasi Hills and brand-new Mairang district, announced earlier in June this year.
Local legislators including Brolding Nongsiej (Mawthadraishan Constituency), Macmillan Byrsat (Nongstoin Constituency), and Kimfa S Marbaniang (Rambrai Jyrngam), on Friday, conducted a public hearing at Nongkasen during which all headmen and sordars of the four circles were giving the liberty to either join Mairang or remain with West Khasi Hills.
While some circles preferred to become a part of the new district, others decided to stick with West Khasi Hills.
Chairing the public hearing at St. Joseph Hall, Nongkasen, Cabinet Minister, Brolding Nongsiej, informed the traditional heads that all villages falling under the notified circles should have one voice — to either join Mairang or to remain with West Khasi Hills. He explained that if villages have different opinions, it will create confusion and the concerned circle will not be allowed to join the new district.
Some headmen said that Nongstoin is far in comparison to Mawthadraishan, yet they chose to be part of West Khasi Hills.
Speaking to pressmen after the public hearing, Nongsiej said that the three MLAs will submit a report to the state government based on the views of the four circles.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had assigned the three MLAs to conduct a public hearing before the inauguration of the new district.
All opinions of the leaders were recorded and they will be sent to the state government, Byrsat said.
