FROM Staff correspondent
Shillong, April 30: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Executive Member (EM) in charge of Trade Latiplang Kharkongor said the issue pertaining to empowerment of the local traditiol chiefs suffers because the Himas (chiefdoms) have failed to frame their own rules even after council has ected a legislation. Kharkongor told newsmen on Thursday, the KHADC has ected laws of constitutiol empowerment on the basis of the codified customary laws and practices, but few have taken the trouble of framing the rules meant for legitimising them. “There are at least 20 odd legislations that have received the assent of the Governor and only four of the Himas have formulated the rules.
He cited the case of Hima Mylliem, a chiefdom with a domain that stretches from Khasi Hills to Ri Bhoi district as an instance. “We have a legislation for them way back in 2007, but they have not even frame their own rules,” lamented Kharkongor, even as he added that the latest developments should be a wake-up call for those Himas who have taken the KHADC move in a lethargic manner. He said that the KHADC will write to all the Himas to either frame the rules as per the legislation or to codify their customary laws at the earliest to ensure the desired recognition and empowerment of the traditiol bodies.