SHILLONG, APR 1: Former KHADC deputy chairman Pyniaid Sing Syiem on Wednesday stated that he would continue to protest against any proposed move to acquire community lands by the state government.
“I would continue to protest against the attempts made by the state government to acquire community lands,” Syiem, also an MDC from Sohryngkham, told reporters during a news conference.
Syiem made the statement after a recent allegations made by a section of the Tynring villagers alleging him of indulging in the propose move of selling off a land measuring 80 acres to the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
These villagers, who had staged protest in the KHADC recently, alleged that Syiem was involvement in the removal of the Tynring Sordar CA Diengdoh by the KHADC on March 26.
Terming their allegations against him as baseless and unfounded, Syiem questioned how he could interfere with the 80 acres of land when it is a case is pending in the court of law.
Syiem also claimed that for the past one year he has been raising the issue against selling of community lands even in the floor of the house during the KHADC’s session.
Meanwhile, Syiem claimed the reason behind the protest by the section of the villagers was because he had protested against the proposed move of the sordar CA Diengdoh to sell off a plot of community land measuring over 1000 acres to the state government.
Syiem said, “I had protested against the letter of Diengdoh to the DC of East Khasi Hills district where he had given the power of attorney to one Marshall Nongrum to sell the community land to the MUDA,” adding “As this is totally against the tradition and customary practices of indigenous people for preserving and protecting community lands.”
Syiem instead alleged that recent protest by a section of villagers against the KHADC order to remove Diengdoh was because they are afraid that their attempt to sell the land would fail. He said, “The attempt to bypass the Dorbar Shnong by Diengdoh is because the section of villagers wanted that the money to be paid by the government should be deposited in the bank account of Marshall Nongrum.”
Speaking about the selling of land to MUDA Syiem informed that he had also submitted a petition to the state urban affairs minister Ampareen Lyngdoh demanding immediate withdrawal of the proposed to acquisition of the 1000 acres of community land and the petition was also forwarded to the deputy commissioner.
Syiem, however, said the minister in her reply indicated that the government would go ahead with its proposal to acquire the land. But he promised that he would explore other means by calling a public meeting to ensure that the government’s move to acquire the land fails.
Syiem informed that the state government’s propose to acquire the community land to expand the New Shillong Township project.According to him, the project has affected the agricultural land.- By Our Reporter
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