By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 10: The Syiem of Hima Mylliem, Ainam Manik Syiem has threatened to move to court if the five Myntris and Basan of Nongkseh fail to prove that he has illegally leased out a plot of land at Khlaw Mawroh.
“I will file a defamation suit in the court if they fail to provide evidence on the allegation which they have made against me within ten days. I have to take this drastic step since this allegation was made to tarnish my image,” Syiem said, reacting to the complaint against him that he has illegally leased out the plot of land.
He further stated that there was a report in the media on September 28 that he had sold out this land as his personal property which is not true.
“It is only a false allegation by people with vested interests. This kind of politics is nothing new in the Hima due to greed for power,” Syiem said.
According to him, the land in question measuring around 5,000 sq feet was leased out to Naphisabet Wahlang, a resident of Mawlai Mawkynroh, Umshing, who had approached him to seek the land for a furniture workshop and welding unit.
Syiem claimed that they had to lease out the land since there was some kind of encroachment.
Syiem said that they had a meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) of the Hima and even inspected the land.
“We took the decision to lease out this land after the Executive Dorbar submitted its report. We decided to fix a rent of Rs 10,000 per month. We leased out the land for a period of 20 years as per the laid down rules. We can renew it again after 20 years if we want,” Syiem said, adding that the rent is paid directly into the account of the Hima Mylliem.
According to him, one of the conditions which they had set was that she should give employment to the youth of the area.
When asked about the allegation of misutilisation of funds amounting to Rs 5.58 crore for the land at Iew Mylliem, Syiem said that he would not like to comment anything on this since there is a pending inquiry in the KHADC.
He informed that the KHADC had already conducted two hearings of both the parties.
“We are now waiting for the inquiry report of the council on the matter. We have placed all the facts while presenting our case to the council,” he said.
When asked on allegations of dumping of soil at Law Syiem near the junction leading to SAN-KER, he said that the soil which was dumped is from the 5,000 sq feet of land which was leased out.
It may be mention that five Myntris of Hima Mylliem, along with the Basan of Nongkseh, on Wednesday demanded that the KHADC immediately remove Ainam Manik Syiem, the Syiem of Mylliem, for allegedly leasing out a plot of land at Khlaw Mawroh without the approval of the Dorbar Hima.
The complaint, submitted to Deputy CEM PN Syiem — who is also in charge of the Elaka department — was signed by Myntri Nongkhlaw, Myntri Rumnong Sohsla, Myntri Kharbteng, Myntri Nongneng Shanpru, and Myntri Syndor.