Shillong, Oct 3: Krang area in remote part of East Khasi Hills District has as many as 11 traditional chiefs who look after a population of only 2,000 due to alleged absence of proper demarcated boundaries.
According to Elstep War, the president of the Synjuk Ki Sordar Shnong Krang, there are only 700 households in the area and it is having 1,600 voters.
He however said the situation is so peculiar where the Lyngdoh of Sohiong was issuing sanad (appointment letters) to 11 Sordars despite the fact that they are without any proper physical boundaries.
“A sordar is issued sanad on the basis of his claim that he has many residents under him,” War said adding that most of the Sordars do not have proper boundary.
Due to this, he said at the time of conducting census, a villager, who resides in a particular locality, will find his name enrolled in the register of a sordar from another area.
Stating that rampant issuing of sanad by the Lyngdoh has made it difficult especially in maintaining law and order, War said that it has also led to misunderstanding among the sordars with regards to the implementation of MNREGS scheme in the village.
He informed that the Synjuk had earlier sought the intervention of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) into the matter to ensure that the boundary is properly demarcated within the Hima of Sohiong.
“Accordingly, the KHADC had directed the Lyngdoh of Sohiong to resolve the matter at the earliest,” War said.
He also said that the Lyngdoh after a meeting held with the Synjuk had also conducted an inquiry by taking out a survey in the area on September 8 and September 9, but the report was yet to be known till today.
According to the president of the Synjuk, six Sordars have protested against the demand of the Synjuk for proper boundaries.
“We condemned such Sordars for making various allegations against our move. How can they accuse us of bulldozing their rights when we are even yet to know the findings of an inquiry conducted by the Lyngdoh,” he argued.