SHILLONG, March 31: The Leader of the Opposition in the KHADC, Titosstarwell Chyne said the ongoing conflict between the council and the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) over issuing building permission is worrying.
He urged the council’s Executive Committee, led by the Voice of the People Party (VPP), to resolve the matter with the Urban Affairs department.
Chyne recalled that the state government notified the KHADC to be one of the authorities to issue building permission under the provisions of the Meghalaya Building Bye-Laws, 2021.
He said the council formed the Khasi Hills Building and Structure Regulatory Authority (KHBSRA) to issue building permission in the master plan area within the Shillong agglomeration as notified by the state government.
He added that the Laban-Mawprem MDC, Ricky Shullai informed him about the confusion over the building permission during the council’s just-concluded budget session.
Earlier, Shullai said the conflict between MUDA and the KHADC has impacted the residents in his constituency.
The independent MDC pointed out that the residents started approaching the KHADC for building permission, citing a case where a woman from Lumparing began constructing her house after the go-ahead from the KHADC.
“However, MUDA has now issued a notice, instructing her to halt construction. MUDA has even threatened to demolish her house for proceeding without their authorisation,” Shullai said.
He said the woman is now in a difficult situation due to the ongoing jurisdictional dispute between MUDA and the KHADC.
The Executive Member in charge of Building Bye-Laws, Pynkhrawboklin Kharjahrin, replied that there were no records of the KHADC issuing any building permission in the Lumparing area.
He clarified that the Shillong Municipal Board has been issuing building permits in the Lumparing and Laban areas since 2001.
Kharjahrin explained that MUDA started handling building permits in Laban after its creation in 2011.
According to the state government’s notification, both MUDA and the KHBSRA are responsible for implementing the Meghalaya Building Bye-Laws, 2021.
