By : Francis Khongwar
Shillong(Meghalaya ), April 13: The Headman of Mawshabuit area along with other traditional authorities today asked the East Khasi Hills District Magistrate, Meghalaya, Isawanda Laloo to immediately intervene in shifting the gate of 58 Gorkha Training Centre at Happy Valley, as the army personnel are blocking the gate from time to time causing hardship to the residents of Mawshabuit to enter their village.
This demand to shift the check gate from the present location to another place came close on the heel of yesterday’s incident, which led to a clash between the residents of Mawshabuit area and the army personnel. The army personnel closed the gate at 5.00 p.m. and reopened at 8.20 p.m. after the invention of authorities from the East Khasi Hills District Administration on the ground that persons were creating nuisance in the area.
Talking to the media, the village authorities said that the army has no right to close the gate claiming that the place belongs to them. They said that army authorities, if army authorities want, they can set up another gate in order to avoid inconveniences to the villager.
Earlier, a city based organization, “Ka Thma U Rangli U Juki” led by its leader Anjela Rangad said that her organization strongly condemned the high handedness of army personnel at Happy Valley including harassment of the residents of Mawshabuit village. “Since the creation of the state in 1972, no Government has taken seriously with regard to defense lands in Shillong” Rangad said, adding that the defence authorities had blocked the road that passes from Civil to Khyndai Lad via Lady Kean College and in other place in Laitkor and Upper Shillong.
Rangad has also suggested that action should be taken on those people who try to prevent to smooth passage of the villagers of Mawshabuit and demanded that a new check gate should be erected in another location. She urged upon the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and the Village Councils and the land owners not to give their lands to the defence authorities.
