Shillong, Oct 24: The opposition in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has accused the Executive Member (EM) in charge of Council Assets, Pynkhrawboklin Kharjahrin, of misleading the House regarding the management of the Mawsynram market complex.
The issue came to light after NPP MDC from Mawsynram, Alvin Sawkmie, raised a question in the House on Friday concerning the status of the market complex and its management.
In his reply, Kharjahrin informed the House that the construction of the market complex has been completed and that the project will be fully implemented in the coming months. He also assured that the pending bill of ₹7 lakh related to the project will be released soon, pending resolution of a technical issue by the finance department.
However, Sawkmie expressed concern over the maintenance and management of the complex, questioning who would bear responsibility for its upkeep. In response, Kharjahrin stated that no formal agreement has been signed between the Council and the dorbar shnong (village authority) regarding the management of the market complex. He added that the newly formed Executive Committee (EC) would examine the matter and take appropriate action.
Kharjahrin further clarified that there is no handover letter from the contractor, and only verbal discussions have taken place with the dorbar shnong. “There is no information in the file, and no agreement regarding the project has been recorded. The new EC will ensure that any investment in council assets benefits both the Council and the people,” he stated.
Sawkmie, however, countered Kharjahrin’s claim, alleging that a market committee had already been constituted and that an agreement had indeed been signed with the Council. “I don’t want the EM to mislead the House because a market committee has been constituted and an agreement has been signed with the district council. How can he say there is no agreement?” Sawkmie said.
Kharjahrin denied the allegation, maintaining that he was only referring to the information available in official records. “The member cannot say I am trying to mislead the House because I am referring to the information available with me. After completion, the project will come under the market,” he asserted.
Leader of Opposition Titosstarwell Chyne also intervened, questioning the EM’s inability to recall when he had released the file related to the market project. Kharjahrin replied that it was difficult for him to remember due to the large number of files he handles. “I can’t remember the exact date as to when I released the file. The project has been completed, but we are yet to receive a handover letter from the contractor. After that, we will discuss management arrangements with the dorbar shnong,” he said, adding, “I urge members not to waste time on small things.”
Chyne, however, rejected the explanation, saying, “That cannot be accepted because the EM is supposed to come prepared. You cannot just say that you don’t remember. You should check the records.”
Nongshken MDC Grace Mary Kharpuri also emphasized the need for a formal agreement before the handover of any market building. In response, Kharjahrin said, “We have reviewed all projects of the Council. How can I look after the agreement? It is not our job. If we had been here five years ago, we could have implemented your suggestion. The EC will ensure that all projects benefit the Council and the people.”
When asked by Kharpuri about the number of market complexes sanctioned by the Council, Kharjahrin said it was difficult to provide an exact figure, explaining that completed markets fall under the market department, while incomplete ones remain under council assets. “Those incomplete include the complexes at Mawsynram and Riangdo,” he noted.
Kharpuri later remarked that the EM’s reply remained unclear, to which Kharjahrin responded, “How can I give information which is not available on my table? I suggest the member write to the market department if she wants the details.”
