KHADC refers Land Bill to select committee following opposition demand

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 2, 2021

The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council on Tuesday referred the KHAD (Regulation and Administration of Land) Bill, 2021 to a select committee for further fine tuning following demand by the opposition bench.

The Bill, which seeks to protect and conserve the land tenure system prevailing in the tribal areas of Khasi Hills, was tabled by the KHADC chief executive member, Titosstarwell Chyne on the first day of the budget session, last week.

Before the House could pass the Bill, an amendment motion was moved by Congress MDC from Rambrai-Jyrngam, Bajop Pyngrope and supported by other opposition members demanding the need to refer the Bill to the select committee as it has got many loopholes.

Pyngrope alleged that the Bill aims to make the Council just as a “record keeping institution” and to appease traditional institutions. He also suggested the need to remove the word records and replaced it by ‘land title certificate’.

Supporting his view, former KHADC chief and Independent MDC from Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah, Pynshngain N Syiem also warned that the Bill if passed will boomerang the council.

“I don’t want the council to indirectly surrender its rights through such legislation…therefore we need to refer this Bill to the select committee,” he said.

Syiem also opposed the attempt of the Bll to say that no other land document other than the ‘Kot Jingpynskhem’ issued by the Chief and his Dorbar and duly approved by the executive committee shall be recognized.

“Morevoer if you say land record…(that means) we are no more autonomous as we are subjected to submit land records to the Director of Land Record and Survey, Government of  Meghalaya,” he said.

In his reply, KHADC chief Titosstarwell Chyne said that the executive committee has decided to take the suggestion given by the members by referring the Bill to the select committee.

“I am not a CEM who want to bulldoze…therefore, we are referring the Bill to the select committee on condition that discussion and submission of views should be completed within 10 days time, so that we can accordingly pass it,” he said.

Chyne also nominated five MDCs as members of the select committee of which three are from the ruling – Bindo M Lanong, Martle Mukhim and Paul Lyngdoh and two from the opposition which include Lamphrang Blah and PN Syiem.