SHILLONG:
The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) chief Pyniaid Sing Syiem on Sept 1 said an FIR will be filed against the ‘self-styled’ headman of RR Colony Welfare Society for illegally issuing no-objection certificate (NOC) for trade license, labour license and other documents.
The decision was taken after a resolution signed by the then executive member in-charge Trade Sanbor Shullai, Pynthorumkhrah MLA AL Hek and headman of Relief & Rehabilitation Colony Ushanta Kumar Das in 2007, was brought to the notice of the present NPP-led executive committee.
The resolution had stated: “In his address, Shri Sanbor Shullai while endorsing the views of Shri AL Hek also expressed his satisfaction over the clearance of doubts and misgivings on the character of land and boundary of RR Colony, assured the assembled traders that all genuine Indian citizens would be issued trading license by the KHADC for professing various trades and business in the locality on procurement of NOCs from the Headman of RR Colony.”
Addressing the media, Syiem said, “If the resolution adopted in 2007 violates the customary laws and practices of the indigenous community, we will take stern action. I will direct the Secretary of the Council to file FIR against the self-styled headman for issuing NOC for trade license, labour license or any documents or even EPIC. What if outsiders are getting EPIC and are getting political and voting rights here (due to this). This will surely take away our political rights. Therefore, we will take stern action on this matter.”
He also maintained that the resolution adopted in 2007 cannot override the age-old customary laws and practices and said, “In fact, no central laws or state laws can interfere with our customary laws and practices.”
Further, Syiem said that the KHADC had issued a notification in 2019 that RR Colony cannot issue any NOC or residential certificate.
“We will not interfere with their religious rights as a welfare society. You can have society look after the interest of their own people but as far as administration is concerned, that will stay with the local indigenous people because Khasi Hills is not Bangladesh or West Bengal that they will have such rights on our land. Therefore, the 2019 notification still stands till today,” he said while informing that the KHADC will further issue notifications that anybody who violates the order of the Council, will have to face action as per law of the land.
He also recalled that in 2019, the KHADC had directed the Syiem of Hima Mylliem to resolve and demarcate the jurisdiction of the Rynjah Dorbar Shnong.
“Therefore, as per notification of 2019, RR Colony was included under Rynjah Dorbar Shnong. No one can say that RR Colony does not fall under Rynjah Dorbar Shnong. We have also changed the name from RR Colony to Them Rynjah,” he added.