‘People waiting to see Sohra as a district’

SHILLONG, Aug 2: People are eagerly awaiting the upgrade of Sohra into a district, Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Chief Executive Member (CEM) Titosstarwell Chyne has informed, while lamenting that despite the constitution of Sohra District Demand Forum (SDDF), the demand is yet to be realised.
“He (Chief Minister Conrad Sangma) had made a commitment, when former Speaker, late Dr. Donkupar Roy was alive, that Sohra will be upgraded into a district. But till now, the people of Sohra are eagerly waiting to see this promise become a reality,” Chyne told media persons here.
He also informed that the SDDF was constituted to follow up with the state government the demand for upgrade of Sohra.
It may be recalled that even during the funeral of Donkupar Roy in July 2019, several local leaders, including senior UDP functionaries, had requested the chief minister to upgrade Sohra civil subdivision into a district as a fitting tribute to Roy.
The KHADC CEM, along with the Shella MLA Balajied Kupar Synrem, had earlier called on the chief minister over the demand.
Chyne had said that the demand for Sohra district has been pending since 1990 and successive governments have ignored the pleas of the locals.
“As people’s representatives, we can only pursue the matter with the government. We have asked our people to wait with patience since the government has its own mechanism to examine this demand,” he had said.