By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 26: Found wanting of trading and labour licences, multiple shops in Keating Road area operated by non-tribals were closed down by the FKJGP Malki Circle on Tuesday.
The FKJGP members along with the organisation’s central leaders —senior vice president Elton Cliff Warjri and organsing secretary Kharkupar Nongsiej — had conducted the inspection along with the staff of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB).
The FKJGP has asserted that it would disallow non-tribal traders operating their business without obtaining the trading and labour licences from the concerned authority.
Police, however, made a spontaneous appearance and told the FKJGP members to stop forcefully closing down the shops.
After this, there was a heated argument between the police and FKJGP members. However, after the municipality produced the permission to conduct checking before the police, they were allowed to continue the inspection. However, closing down of shops was disallowed.
Following checking, the group found several establishments which have not obtained trading and labour licences, while some have not renewed their existing licences since 2010.
“We have carried this checking after we received complaints from several quarters that most of the shops in Keating road area were operating illegally,” the FKJGP Malki Circle president, Wirfortis Lyngdoh Mawphlang, said.
On the other hand, FKJGP organising secretary pointed out that the SMB complains about not being able to generate revenue.
In this regard, Nongsiej said the municipal board should conuct regular checking. “We are going to meet the CEO of the SMB on the need to conduct regular checking of the shops owned by non-tribals who are not renewing their trading licence,” he said.