BSF request shot down

SHILLONG, APR 27: The Mawryngkneng village dorbar in East Khasi hills district has turned down the request of the Border Security Force (BSF) to permit for acquiring land for setting up its headquarter within the village.

The decision not to grant permission for acquiring land by the BSF was taken during the dorbar executive committee meeting on Saturday.

“We have unanimously decided to refuse granting of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the BSF for acquiring land in Mawryngkneng area,” the village sordar Peter J Lawai said in a statement issued on Sunday.

According to Lawai, the BSF 44 battalion commandant had promised the village authority for setting up of schools, hospital, playgrounds if the NOC for acquiring land was given.

“But, we have rejected the proposals as we don’t want to put the village and its future at stake. We felt such promises are made just to fool the people in order to get land,” Lawai informed.

Lawai also said the executive committee has also issued directions to all private land owners prohibiting them from selling their lands to the BSF.

Lawai justified the decision of the dorbar not to grant the NOC to the BSF for acquiring land in their village as he said the presence of the border security camp or its headquarter in public areas will only invite unnecessary problems in term of public convenience and land encroachment. He said such instances had taken place in so many places of the state where such camps have been set up.- By Our Reporter