By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 11: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) will issue show-cause notices to all non-tribal traders operating without a valid trade licence.
KHADC Executive Member in-charge of Trade, Rangkynsai Kharbuki disclosed this on Thursday.
Earlier, the council had made it clear that vendors, selling items out of a vehicle including carts, will be required to obtain a trade licence. It had said that any business operated without a trade licence would be deemed illegal.
Kharbuki told reporters the council will also issue a show-cause notice to the owner of Marbaniang Nichol’s Roy building, Paul Leong for renting out shops to non-tribals without valid trade licence in violation of the provisions laid under the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District (Trading by Non-Tribals) Regulation, 1954.
He said Leong had provided a copy of an order of the High Court of Meghalaya to the council which states that the petitioner (Leong) can rent out nine of the shops in his building to non-Khasis by complying with the provisions under the KHAD (Trading By-Non Tribals Regulation) Act of 1972.
The KHADC will issue a closure notice if there is no response from Leong, Kharbuki said.
He further stated that the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District (Trading by Non-Tribals) Regulation, 1954 clearly states that non-tribals doing any kind of business will need to obtain a trade licence from the council.
Earlier, KHADC Chief Executive Member Titosstarwell Chyne had said Leong has the right to rent his premises to non-Khasis but he needs to comply with the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District (Trading by Non-Tribals) Regulation, 1954.
Chyne, who recently inspected the Iewduh market, had also said that non-tribal traders, including hawkers and street vendors, cannot carry out any business activity without a trade licence.
Referring to the Khasi Hills District (Trading by Non-Tribals) Rules, 1959, he had said that the rules are very clear that trade licence is required for setting up industries, opening shops or hawking.
Stop on deduction of weight on agri produce
The KHADC will soon issue an executive order to stop the deduction of weight on agricultural produce in all the markets of the Council, including Iewduh.
Informing this following the inspection of the Iewduh market here on Thursday morning, Executive Member in-charge of Trade, Rangkynsai Kharbuki, said this executive order will be applicable till the time the Governor gave his assent to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Establishment, Management & Control of Markets) (2nd Amendment) Regulation Bill, 2021.
“The deduction of weight on agricultural produce should be stopped in all markets falling under the scheduled areas once the council issued the executive order,” Kharbuki said.
Meanwhile, Executive Member in-charge of Market, Grace Mary Kharpuri, said there is an agreement between the farmers and the vegetable traders to have a mutual understanding to avoid this frequent conflict.
According to her, it is important that the vegetable traders should ensure that the farmers get their dues and they should not face any kind of loss.
She further informed that the office of the Syiem of Hima Mylliem had issued an order in 2019 with a direction that the deduction of weight on vegetable produce by the traders inside the Iewduh market should be stopped.
Kharpuri further said that there should not be any lump sum deduction as this has badly affected the farmers.
“We hope that this effort of the KHADC to resolve the difference between the farmers and vegetable traders would be a fruitful one,” Kharpuri said.
She, however, observed that if there is continuous conflict then it will give an impression that Hima Mylliem and KHADC are doing nothing to address the grievances of the farmers.
She said that the Hima Mylliem is the authority that will need to address the grievances faced by the farmers since Iewduh market falls under its jurisdiction.
Earlier on Wednesday, KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Titosstarwell Chyne had said that the Council will issue a directive to stop the deduction of weight of agricultural produce in all the markets of the Council.
He further informed that they have also decided to implement the notification of the Syiem of Hima Mylliem 2019, which barred all traders from deducting the weight of the agricultural produce.
According to him, the farmers are badly affected in view of the deduction of the weight of their agricultural produce.