By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has demanded ‘status quo’ on the Executive Order of the Government which prohibits transfer of land to non-tribal entities in the State.
“While appreciating the need to promote quality education in the State we would insist on a broad-based consultative process before the EO is altered in any manner,” UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh stated in a letter addressed to Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Prof RC Laloo here on Thursday.
Recalling that the EO which put on hold all cases of land transfer was a culmination of the memorandum submitted by the party to Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma in December 2010, Lyngdoh said that the same was also endorsed by the Parliamentary Party of the MUA at a crucial meeting held in January 2011.
“The fact is that the above decision has been largely welcomed by all stakeholders in the State and was meant to be a stopgap arrangement until the entire process of reviewing and amending the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971 is complete,” the UDP working president stated in the letter, adding, “We are also made to believed that a special committee has been constituted for reviewing the various provisions of the Act under your chairmanship (Prof Laloo).”
Lyngdoh also stated that the UDP is shocked to learn that this Committee has not met in the past two years.
“In view of the above facts, the Party strongly urges that the latest order taking out the education sector from the purview of the above order be quashed immediately,” Lyngdoh said.
