Border issue: MoU not in the state’s interest but purely a motive to benefit certain “big shots” in MDA Govt: Pala 

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 25, 2022

Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Vincent H Pala on Monday alleged that the MDA government’s decision to sign the MoU for resolving the dispute in 6 areas of difference was for “somebody’s interest” to ensure a five-star hotel at Khanapara comes to Meghalaya.

“It (MoU) is not in the interest of the state…it is purely a solution for somebody’s interest,” Pala told reporters when sought for his comment on the ongoing protest against the MoU signed between Meghalaya and Assam in New Delhi on March 29.

“It is only to keep a five-star hotel either in Assam or Meghalaya. Since the owner is from Meghalaya, it has to be in Meghalaya so that they can give licenses for gambling and other types of businesses in that hotel,” he added.

 He alleged that some big shots within the government had bought the five-star hotel in Khanapara. “However, they (later) found that the land document is in Meghalaya whereas the building permission (had to be sought) from Assam, so it is difficult for them,” he said.

The Shillong MP further alleged that the state government also changed the Meghalaya Building Bye-Laws, 2011 in order to get the hotel approved as per law.

The Meghalaya Building Bye-Laws, 2021 was published by the Urban Affairs department on March 9, last year.

According to him, this was also done soon after the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had dropped PDF legislator from Mylliem, Hamletson Dohling as Urban Affairs Minister. Dohling was replaced by current minister in-charge of the department Sniawbhalang Dhar.

“When Hamlet was dropped, the byelaws also was changed immediately within a month and after they got it, everything was rectified,” Pala said even as he added, “The building was constructed more than 5 floors and as per law it is G+3 then it was modified to G+4 where maximum you can construct a building up to five floors. That building, I think, is more than 18-19 floors.”

He reiterated that the attempt to solve the long pending boundary dispute is “not for the interest of the state, this is purely for the interest of one or two people only.”

Pala also questioned the government’s failure to take stakeholders including the KHADC into consideration before signing the MoU.

“Had it been for the interest of the public, why not go and talk to the Secretary? Last night, the Secretary called me and informed me that the minister came to the villages, took photos and left, there was no discussion with the Syiem,” he said.

Further terming the MoU as “illegal”, the MPCC chief said the MoU was signed without any witnesses.

“It is illegal. Whenever there is an MoU or agreement (signed) there should be witnesses. But in the MoU there was no witness. Secondly, if the MoU is going to be signed for the interest of the public at least the Syiem or the dorbar or the district council should have been taken into account. Why not take them into account, what is the problem?” he asked.

Meanwhile, Pala said that the government of the day is only creating more problems from the boundary issue instead of resolving it.

“If you are going to solve a problem which has been there for more than almost 6-7 decades, what is the problem of spending another 10-15 days (to call and discuss with the people from these areas)…If the people don’t like it, why should you create more problems from the problem? If you can’t solve it, leave it to the next generation to solve it, there is no point to create a problem from the problem,” he said.

The Shillong MP also asked the government not to impose or force the border residents on the issue.

My point is that we are here for the public. We should not impose on them, we should not force them. There is no question of solving the border issue (when) it is only creating more confusion, more problems,” he said while adding that the government is creating a bigger problem.