Mawkynrew groups to meet to resolve RKM school land issue

SHILLONG, Feb 6: The Dorbar Shnongs of Mawkynrew and Mawlein villages will hold a joint meeting to resolve the conflict over the contentious allotment of land to the Ramakrishna Mission, Sohra for the construction of its ME school building at Mawkynrew village.
The leaders of the two groups – one supporting the allocation of the land to the school and the other opposing it – met Deputy Commissioner RM Kurbah for a second time on Tuesday.
They submitted a report to the DC conveying to her that the executive committees of the two Dorbar Shnongs held a meeting to deliberate on the issue as directed earlier.
When contacted, Acting Sordar of Mawkynrew Dorbar Pyllun, Kitborlang Mukhim told The Shillong Times on Thursday that they also told the DC in their report that the primary objective of the meeting of the prominent leaders of the two villages was to arrive at an understanding.
He added that the meeting of the two Dorbar Shnongs would be held once there is an agreement among the leaders of the two villages.
Mukhim said the leaders of the two villages made it clear to the DC that outside forces should not interfere when the meeting of the two Dorbar Shnongs is organised.
He said even the DC asserted that the district administration has no intention to interfere with the internal matters of the village. He added that the DC did not want the construction of the school to be disrupted.
Replying to a query, Mukhim said they informally discussed the possibility of allotting another piece of available land to the Mawkynrew Football Club.
He said the football ground issue was discussed after the DC told the two groups in the first meeting on January 28 that they would need to decide whether they needed a school to uplift the quality of education in the area or a football ground.
Mukhim said the district administration has imposed a curfew in Mawkynrew since the January 20 clash.
Earlier, East Khasi Hills SP, Vivek Syiem said the two groups were directed to submit a report on the outcome of the internal meeting to the DC within a week.
He also said the group opposing the school wanted all construction activities to stop till the issue over the allotment of the land was resolved.
“We told them that the construction work cannot be stopped since there is a directive from the High Court of Meghalaya that the work should not be affected,” the SP said, adding that they cannot halt any construction work funded under a centrally sponsored scheme.
According to him, the opposing group is not against the construction of the school but their primary contention is that the land was allotted without taking everybody into confidence.