Shillong, Mar 20: A village dorbar in Ri Bhoi District has threatened to seek the Court’s intervention into the state government’s recent decision to set up the entry point at Umling.
In a memorandum submitted to the chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday, Headman of Pahammawlein 20th Mile, J Sylliang has expressed disappointment on the government’s decision to relocate the entry point from 19th Mile, Pahammawlein to Umling.
“…to prevent the state government from squandering public money, on a toothless entry point, we the executive committee of the dorbar shnong hereby resolve to challenge the legal validity of setting up entry point in Transport land in Umling, in the courts of the land,†Sylliang said in the memorandum.
He added, “Financial constrains as cited by your government, as the primary reason to relocate the entry point from 19th Mile, after 95% of land acquisition has been completed, and after a lengthy three and a half years of the land acquisition process, is questionable, unjustified and does not hold any water, since in effect it will be setting up an ineffective mechanism that is unlawful, resulting in wasteful expenditure of scarce public resources.â€
According to him, the decision was also taken after the state government has failed to consult the stakeholders and without keeping in mind the ground realities, including the unfeasibility and legality of setting up of the entry point in Umling.
Citing reasons for the opposition, Sylliang said the most impractical reason for setting up the entry point in Umling is the location of the toll plaza in 20th Mile adding “We would like to question the government how will the state turn away visitors without valid papers after they have paid toll, in the toll plaza located at 20th Mile?â€
“Any action on the part of the state government to detain or deny entry of any person into the state after having paid toll, will be deemed to be ulta vires, tantamount to harassment and unlawful action,†he said.
The headman further stated that there are several state PWD roads before the proposed site to set up the entry point at the land owned by the Transport department in Umling, which gives unimpeded access to Nongpoh, Lailad, Patharkmah, Mairang, Shillong and the rest of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills region.
“…(This will) render the entire objective of containing influx meaningless,†Sylliang said while pointing out that the PWD raods are the 20th Mile to Umdap to Nongpoh road and the 20th Mile Pahammawlein, Narang to Patharkhmah to Mairang to Shillong Road and Umling to Lailad road.
Meanwhile, the dorbar shnong however suggested that the entry point should be set up as close to the inter-state border as possible, irrespective of terrain, for maximum effectiveness.