By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 10: The Mylliem Block Congress Committee (MBCC) expressed strong concern on Tuesday over the alleged leasing of government land belonging to the Veterinary department at Upper Shillong to a private firm for setting up a petrol pump and other commercial facilities.
Raising the issue, MBCC leader Lionel Nongkhlaw, questioning the state government’s decision to lease the land to Ashok Auto Service, noted that the property could have been better utilised for initiatives that support livestock development and benefit the local farming community.
According to Nongkhlaw, the land falls within the Mylliem constituency, where many residents depend on livestock-related activities such as cattle rearing, piggery, and poultry farming for their livelihood.
He said the site could have been used for the establishment of facilities such as a veterinary hospital, veterinary college, livestock research centre or even a livestock feed mill, which would strengthen the rural economy and provide support to farmers in the area.
“Instead, the government has opted to lease it out for private commercial use,” Nongkhlaw remarked.
The Congress leader also raised concerns over the alleged leasing of the land to a non-tribal entity in a Sixth Schedule area, where the protection of tribal land and the interests of indigenous communities remain a sensitive matter.
He pointed out that although government land may technically fall outside the direct provisions governing private tribal land, the spirit of the constitutional safeguards is intended to protect the long-term interests of indigenous people.
“The government must ensure that public land located within tribal areas is used primarily for the benefit of the local community,” he said.
Nongkhlaw further questioned the terms of the lease, observing that a one-time premium of Rs 1 lakh along with a nominal annual rent raises doubts among the public about whether valuable government land is being leased at an extremely low cost.
He added that the lessee had earlier been operating a petrol pump at Anjalee in Shillong on land leased from the defence authorities. However, following a court order, the operator was reportedly directed to vacate the property and hand over vacant possession to the Defence authorities.
In this context, Nongkhlaw questioned why government land at Upper Shillong was later leased to the same party and who had taken the decision to allocate the plot, which appears to serve as a replacement.
“This raises serious public concern as to why the government appears eager to provide valuable land to a non-tribal entity under such favourable terms,” he said, asking whether any undisclosed arrangement might be behind the decision.
At the same time, Nongkhlaw expressed concern that many local street vendors along the Mylliem–Upper Shillong stretch continue to struggle to find adequate space to carry out their daily trade.
“When local youth and small vendors are still searching for opportunities to earn a livelihood, priority should be given to the local community rather than outside commercial interests,” he added.
The MBCC leader acknowledged the role played by the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) and its leader Kitbok Nongphlang, along with the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Upper Shillong, in bringing the matter to the attention of the public.
He further criticised the silence of the elected representatives of the constituency, including the local MLA and MDC, noting that they had earlier promised to safeguard the interests of the people of Mylliem and the Khasi people.
“As a leader of the Congress Party, I strongly condemn this double standard of the government and the silence of the elected representatives,” Nongkhlaw said.
He added that the Congress would continue to stand with the people of Mylliem constituency and raise its voice to safeguard land and indigenous rights.
“Our land is not merely property; it represents our identity, heritage and the future of our people. If we fail to protect it today, future generations will question our silence,” he said.
