By Our Reporter
Shillong, Jan 12: The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) on Thursday raised concerns over the failure of some of the Himas to comply with the provisions laid under the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Regulation and Administration of Land) Act, 2021.
The leaders of KHNAM met KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Pyniaid Sing Syiem to apprise him on this matter.
Speaking to reporters, KHNAM working president, Thomas Passah said that as per the Act, the Executive Committee (EC) on August 04 last year had issued a notification to empower Syiems and Himas to fix the fees for issuance of the land deed.
However, there are allegations of the Himas charging more than the fixed rate by the council.
As per the notification issued by the KHADC, the rate fixed by the council for the land deed is Rs 2000 for a land under 5000 sq ft, Rs 3500 for a land above 5000 sq ft and below 10,000 sq. ft, Rs 7000 for a plot of land above 10,000 sq ft and under 20000 sq ft, Rs 10,000 for a land between one acre to 10 acres and Rs 40,000 for a land above 10 acres.
“We have demanded stringent action against those Himas for charging beyond the fixed rate by the council,” Passah added.
Meanwhile, KHNAM has also demanded the KHADC to notify Section 10 (2) (vi) of the United Khasi Jaintia Hills District (Trading by Non-Tribals) Regulation, 1954, which states that trading licenses should not be given on trades that the local indigenous populace can manage on their own.
“This particular section has been inserted in the Act to safeguard the interest of the local indigenous population”, he added.
He said that they have called upon the KHADC CEM to notify this section in the major market areas in the city like Iewduh and also in a few places of Ri-Bhoi district like Umsning, Khanapara, and Nongpoh to encourage more of the local indigenous to start operating their business on their own.
“We want the KHADC to stop issuing new trading licenses to non-tribals by notifying this section of the Act,” the KHNAM working president added.