Shillong, Oct 17: Threatening to approach the court, members of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) demanded the state government and forest department must immediately “revoke” its decision to declare the areas in West Khasi hills and South West Khasi hills district as “The Khasi Hills Elephant Reserve.”
Members of the KHADC threaten to approach the court if the government failed to revoke the decision.
Protesting on the decision of declaring parts of the West and South West Khasi hills as Elephant Reserve, MDCS from Mawthengkut, Nongstoin, Ramrai and Langrin constituencies were up on their feet during the KHADC session.
KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Pynsngain N Syiem said in his reply to a motion moved by Mawthenkut MDC FK Ryntathiang, “Coming out with such a “notification” without taking the council and traditional institutions of these areas into confidence is “illegal.”
The proposed elephant reserve was recently notified by the office of the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife of Chief Wildlife Warden of the state.
Syiem said that executive committee along with members of the council and traditional institutions will pressurize the government to withdraw the notification on this regard. He assured, “We would take other means of actions if government fails to take the matter seriously.”
Moving the motion, Ryntathiang said, “The hasty decision of the PCCF clearly indicated that the department lacks the understanding of the unique land tenure system in the state as enshrined as per the para 3 (2) of the Sixth Scheduled of the Constitution of India.” He added, “The notification was issued without the consent of the KHADC and the people of these areas.”
Ryntathiang informed that more than 205 villages under the Hima Nongstoin would be affected if the notification is being implemented. “People from the area will be affected andas Mawthengkut, Rambrai, Langrin and Nongstoin have strongly objected to the decision of the government,” Ryntathiang said.
Rambrai MDC KP Pangniang while supporting the motion said, “23 villages in my constituency have opposed to the decision as 90 per cent of the people depends their livelihood in agriculture.” He said, “The reason for the objections is due to the fact that the these wild elephants had many times destroy agricultural products of the villagers.” – By Our Reporter
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