KHADC decides to stop issuing fresh trade license in Iewduh

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 4, 2019

SHILLONG: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has decided not to issue fresh trading license to non-tribals at Iewduh, which is one of the biggest traditional markets in the region. 

This was announced after a meeting convened by the newly elected chief executive member (CEM) Latiplang Kharkongor with the Acting Syiem of Hima Mylliem Ainam Manik Syiem and his officials here on Wednesday. 

Kharkongor told reporters that the meeting has unanimously agreed to implement a notification issued by the council in the year 2013-14 to stop granting of fresh trading licenses at Iewduh market. “We will immediately issue order tomorrow,” he said. 

Kharkongor informed that the said notification was issued by the council when he was the executive member in-charge Trade in 2013 to safeguard the interest of the tribal people. 

However, when the then executive committee collapsed, the notification was accordingly denotified, he said. “Subsequently, fresh trading licenses have been issued from 2015 till date,” he said.

According to the Hima Mylliem, there are over 5,000 shops in the Iewduh market. One of the myntris of the Hima said that around 2400 shops are owned by non-tribal shops. 

Asked, Acting Syiem said some of these shops were established before the enactment of the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act. Another myntri however said 75 percent of the shops are owned by tribal traders but most of them have rented their shops to non-tribal traders.