By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 21: The Opposition in the KHADC has questioned the need for the Chief Executive Member (CEM), Executive Members (EMs) and MDCs to conduct checking of trading licences when there is an enforcement wing of the Council for the job.
“We have witnessed that the CEM, EMs and the MDCs have gone for checking of trading licences after taking over the Executive Committee (EC). Where is the enforcement wing of the Council which is mandated to carry out this exercise,” asked UDP MDC, Jambor War.
He was participating in a discussion on the motion moved by Opposition leader Titosstarwell Chyne on the second day of the Council’s winter session on Thursday.
War asserted that it does not send the right message if the authorities who are supposed to direct the staff, are doing the job on their own.
According to him, the CEM and the EM in-charge Trade could have summoned the Rangbah Shnongs or any of the traditional heads of the concerned locality or village to question them about any non-tribal trader operating without the trading licence issued by the Council.
War said the checking by the Council members was conducted in Laitumkhrah and Ichamati among other areas.
In response, KHADC Chief Executive Member Pyniaid Sing Syiem said that the enforcement wing of the Council has only 70 people including the Superintendents and Inspectors.
According to him, it is humanly impossible for them to cover the areas in the five districts.
He further said that they are not demeaning their position by going on the ground to check the trading licences.
Syiem said that the decision to go for the inspection has not only helped in motivating the staff of the enforcement wing but is has also helped the authorities to understand the ground reality.
The KHADC CEM said that there are places such as Khanapara where it is not safe for the staff to go for checking as they have to involve the district administration and police.