SHILLONG: Allaying fears over the implementation of Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) building Bye laws in Upper Shillong area, Urban Affairs Minister, Ronnie V Lyngdoh said that such building Bye laws were meant for the benefit of the people and claimed that most of the Rangbah Shnongs in the area had welcomed the move of the State Government.
Speaking to the media here on Thursday, Ronnie V Lyngdoh said the Bye laws were for the benefit of the people but if people were facing inconvenience, Government would definitely look into the matter.
Stating that many Rangbah Shnongs in the area found it difficult to regulate the construction of buildings in the absence of regulation, he reiterated that most Rangbah Shnongs had welcomed the building Bye laws though there were certain hiccups and Government would address the concerns.
Citing an example, he said that some people in Umlyngka had constructed a house and there was no place to even discharge waste water from the house and such instances should be addressed with building Bye laws.
“Except for building Bye laws, MUDA has not implemented any other regulations in those areas,” he added.
According to Lyngdoh, areas which comes under MUDA do not receive benefits under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act but many villages in Upper Shillong including Umlynga, Mylliem and others were getting benefits under the scheme.
In fact, 165 families from that area were given assistance for cattle rearing recently and if the area was under MUDA, benefits of such schemes would not have been given to them, Lyngdoh added
Earlier, Former KHADC CEM Pynshngain N Syiem had asked the state government to convene a special session of the Assembly to amend the Meghalaya Town and Country Planning Act, 1973, with an aim to end the alleged encroachment of the MUDA on Scheduled areas.
The Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Upper Shillong comprising of 12 villages and have unanimously resolved to oppose the implementation of the building Bye-laws by the MUDA in the area.