By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Laitkroh MDC Carmel Sohtun has criticized the Indian Air Force (IAF) for claiming that the PWD road from Laitkor to Upper Shillong falls under their jurisdiction.
“The IAF officials had made this claim during a meeting on January 17 last were I was also invited. To my surprise, the PWD officials who were also present in the meeting did not challenge this claim made by the IAF authorities,” Sohtun said while moving his cut motion on the final day of KHADC Budget Session on Friday.
As per the map of 1945 which is available with him, he said that it was clear that this particular road was never under the IAF.
“In fact, I have raised questions about this map of 1945 during the meeting with the IAF officials. The IAF officials instead claim that they were given control of this road during the time of Assam Government,” Laitkroh MDC said.
He said that the claim of the IAF is misleading since the land in the State belongs to the community or an individual.
“The Government does not own a land in the State since we have a peculiar land tenure system,” Sohtun said.
According to him, the local villagers have to passed through this road to go their cultivable land are frequently being harassed by the IAF personnel who are posted at the check point on both sides of the road.
Meanwhile, Laitkroh MDC urged upon the Executive Committee (EC) to pursue this matter with the concerned authorities so that the poor villagers are not being harassed.
“We should also not allow the IAF to claim control over the PWD road which belong to public,” Sohtun said. In reply, KHADC CEM Pynshngain N Syiem assured that the EC would closely follow up this matter with the State Government.
“The EC would try to take the confidence of the local villagers while pursuing this matter. We also need to gather strong documentary evidence to prove that the road from Laitkor to Upper Shillong is a PWD road,” Syiem said.
