NONGPOH, May 2: The Dorbar Raid Nongpoh and Dorbar Shnong Nongpoh have aired concern over Nongpoh Town Committee allegedly green-lighting the demolition of its property near the Nongpoh Town Shopping Complex.
The committee also stands accused of forcefully erecting an inter-locking concrete block pavement for parking purposes without obtaining permission from the Dorbar Raid Nongpoh and the Dorbar Shnong Nongpoh.
Linus Lyngdoh, the Lyngdoh of Raid Nongpoh, accompanied by the Nongpoh headman, Silvester Mynsong, and other members of the Dorbar Raid Nongpoh, addressed the media persons at Sajer, outlining the issue.
According to Lyngdoh, the land, which belongs to the Raid Nongpoh, was initially entrusted to the Dorbar Shnong Nongpoh and the Nongpoh Town Committee in 2014 for a two-year beautification and development project.
However, due to alleged inactivity on the part of the committee and the expiration of the agreement, the land was reclaimed by the Dorbar Raid Nongpoh in 2016.
Lyngdoh said despite reclaiming the land in 2016 and subsequently constructing several shops in 2022, the Nongpoh Town Committee purportedly attempted to implement the inter-locking concrete block pavement scheme and demolished the shops there without consulting or obtaining permission from the Dorbar Raid Nongpoh and the Dorbar Shnong Nongpoh.
This prompted leaders from Dorbar Raid Nongpoh and Dorbar Shnong Nongpoh to lodge a complaint with the Ri-Bhoi District Administration.
Despite the district administration ordering a halt to the committee’s activities during the same year, the latter purportedly continued the project unabated.
During a recent meeting on April 30, 2024, Additional Deputy Commissioner Raja Brahma had instructed the committee to issue an apology to the Dorbar Raid Nongpoh and the Dorbar Shnong Nongpoh, and to compensate for the damages caused to the shops.
However, in a surprising turn of events, on May 1, the committee purportedly issued an invitation for the inauguration of the inter-locking concrete block pavement, scheduled for May 3, without consulting the Dorbar Raid Nongpoh and the Dorbar Shnong Nongpoh.
Lyngdoh has, meanwhile, expressed dismay over the committee’s unilateral actions and emphasised that the land, adjacent to National Highway 6, remains under the jurisdiction of the Dorbar Raid Nongpoh.
Consequently, the Dorbar Raid Nongpoh and the Dorbar Shnong Nongpoh have called upon the Ri-Bhoi District Administration and the Urban Affairs department to defer the inauguration until a resolution is arrived at.
They have also warned of further action should their concerns be disregarded, signaling potential escalation if the matter remains unresolved.
