By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 20: Construction of houses in areas bordering defence land has allegedly turned problematic for the people due to the interference of the defence authorities.
Attention to this purported problem was drawn by the Opposition UDP in the KHADC during the Question Hour on the first day of the Council’s winter session here on Wednesday.
The opposition claimed that people are not allowed to construct their houses within their own boundaries by the defence authorities.
Raising this issue, Laban-Mawprem MDC from UDP, Mitchell Wankhar said the defence authorities would not allow them to even construct road in areas near the defence land.
He said that these problems are being faced in areas like Lawsohtun, Ranap and Lum Shyllong.
The opposition MDC said that these issues are taking place in areas which fall under the jurisdiction of the Council which are also close to the boundaries of the defence land.
“The people are unable to construct their houses despite having the land patta from the Dorbar Shnong and NOC from the Deputy Commissioner’s office. This is a very sad situation which needs to be resolved at the earliest,” Wankhar said.
Urging the Council’s Executive Committee to take necessary steps, he suggested that the EC should write to the defence authorities to not “harass the people in this manner as they have the right to construct houses in their own land.”
Responding to the concerns raised by the MDC, Executive Member in-charge Building, Teibor Pathaw, said that no complaints about people being harassed by defence authorities as pointed out have been received yet.
“We would definitely act if we received any official complaint. We will act as per relevant provisions of the law,” Pathaw said.
He added that the Governor also has power to intervene if the people were facing problems due to the interference of the defence authorities.