Traditiol heads charging hefty fees to register lands

A Correspondent

Shillong, February 24: Sohryngkham MDC, Pyniaid Sing Syiem today, slammed the Syiem (Chief) of  Hima Khyrim for charging hefty fees from residents for obtaining NOC and sales deed for areas falling under his jurisdiction of the Raid (community land) and others for registering their lands.

 “The Syiem of Hima Khyrim charge fees as hefty as Rs 20,000 from the villagers. They have come complaining to me that the rate for obtaining the NOC is almost equal to the rate of their lands,” Syiem said during a motion at the budget session of the KHADC.

According to the HSPDP MDC from Sohryngkham, since the State government is acquiring lands especially under his constituency for expanding the New Shillong Township (NST), villagers should register the lands.

Syiem said that the State government is planning to acquire about 2000 acres of lands around Tynring – Diengpasoh areas for expanding the NST. He also said that the district council should encourage villagers to register their lands since there was a need to have land records.

“But if the Syiem charges such exorbitant rates people will be discouraged,” Syiem said.

He also lamented that all these years, the district council never streamlined the functioning of the Syiems.

Congress MDC from Jirang, Victor Rani expressed concern that the high rates charged by the traditiol chiefs for registering lands in the border areas have benefited Assam.

Rani alleged that Assam register lands for free even as the neighbouring state offer free electricity and water to those living along the Meghalaya-Assam border.

Meanwhile, Executive Member in-charge Land Records, Morning Mawsor said that he has not received any complaints about the Syiem of Hima Khyrim charging high fees for giving NOC.

Mawsor informed that he has received complaint only against the Sirdar of Nongpoh and Lyngdoh of Sohkhwai, Ri-Bhopi district and the Syiem of Hima Mylliem for asking residents to renew their land registration every three years.

 “We issued an order dated December 9, 2014 that registration of lands should be done only once and the registration fee should also not be high,” Mawsor said.