Shillong, May 30: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has decided to reject the proposal to grant a ‘No Objection Certificate (NOC)’ for land acquisition by the Border Security Force (BSF) in Ri Bhoi District.
The decision was taken after a delegation of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) led by its president Lambokstarwell Marngar met the KHADC deputy chief executive member in-charge Elaka, Pynïaid Sing Syiem requesting for his intervention into the matter on Thursday.
After the meeting, Syiem told reporters that an individual had approached the Hima Mylliem for granting NOC to sell the land to the BSF. Accordingly, the Hima Mylliem had submitted a letter to the Council for its approval on March 22, this year.
“We appreciated the decision of the Hima Mylliem for informing the Council on the matter. However, the executive committee of the Council has decided not to approve the proposal,†Syiem said.
The deputy CEM further announced that the executive committee will also soon issue an executive order to prohibit all traditional heads from granting NOC for land acquisition by paramilitary forces and others without the consent of the Council.
“The Syiem or Rangbah Shnong alone can no longer issue an NOC as such decision will have to be taken by the Dorbar of the Hima or Dorbar of the village,†he said.
According to him, the decision was also taken after the recent incident where a secretary of the Hima Nongspung had issued NOC to the Assam government for implementing the PMGSY road along the inter-state border in Ri Bhoi District.
Earlier, KSU chief Lambok Starwell Marngar said that the Union has expressed its strong opposition against the move to sell 7,000 acres of land at Lakhra to the BSF.
The KSU had earlier alleged that the Raid Marwet and Hima Mylliem were proposing to sell a land measuring 1,000 hectares at Lakhra along the inter-state border in Ri Bhoi District for Rs 1,000 crore to the BSF.
However, the Acting Syiem of Hima Mylliem Ainam Manik Syiem refuted the allegation and informed that based on the permission sought by a land owner, the Syiem of Raid Marwet accordingly forwarded the letter of the land owner to the Hima Mylliem.
Reacting to this, KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah said that the Hima Mylliem which is supposed to protect the land should reject immediately such proposal.
“The Hima should have rejected the proposal instead of acting like a post office by delivering the letter to the Council,†he said.