Inspection on alleged encroachment

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, MAR 31: The East Khasi Hills district administration would soon conduct a joint inspection at Lawsohtun area whose water sources have been affected due to the alleged encroachment by defence authorities.

The decision was taken during a meeting convened by the deputy commissioner PS Dkhar and attended by NCP South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai, Laban MDC Ricky Shullai, defence officials and members of Lawsohtun Dorbar here on Friday.

“We have agreed to have a joint re-survey of the land,” Sanbor told reporters after the meeting, which according to him was convened following the complaint lodged by them with the district administration.

He said the re-survey will be conducted by the district administration along with Survey officials, defence officials and the headmen from Lawsohtun and its adjoining areas.

Earlier, the delegation had sought the intervention of the district administration to immediately direct the defence authority to stop the alleged illegal re-construction of a boundary wall at Lawsohtun area.

According to them, the construction if allowed will affect the area, which is the sources of many streams that are feeding drinking water supply to people of the entire greater Shillong.

The legislator said that they have also rejected the request made by the defence officials led by Station Commandant Brig Amrit Lal to allow the construction to continue.

“We have objected to their request and reiterated that they should stop till the matter is resolved in a proper manner,” he said.

Lawsohtun headman M Wankhar also lamented on the insensitive attitude of the defence authorities for allegedly showing more concern about the contractor to complete the construction work.

“However, the fact is that the construction of pillars near the area has affected water sources besides damaging the some of the pipes,” he said while maintaining that they would continue to oppose to such illegal construction.

Further, Sanbor recalled that the Guahati High Court in its judgment passed in 2007 had directed that “no construction work shall be carried out by the Army authority in the area in question (Lawsohtun)”.

However, he said that despite this, the defence authorities had in 2013 attempt to start the construction of the boundary wall without the knowledge of the district administration but was later stopped on opposed by the MLA and Dorbar Shnong.

“In contempt of the court order, the defence authorities last month again started to construct the boundary wall,” he said.

The MLA also lambasted the state government for also failing to declare the land at Lawsohtun as a “catchment area”, which was as per direction of the High Court order.

The Court had directed the Advisory Committee on Shillong Land to complete the whole exercise (declaring the land as catchment area) within a period of 60 days from the date of issuing the judgment on the PIL filed in 2005.

“It is sad that the committee is yet to declare the land as catchment area despite many years have lapsed,” he said while threatening that they would soon bring the matter to the notice of the Court for necessary action.