KHADC Opposition demands scrapping of No Objection Certificate to Geological Survey of India

A Reporter

SHILLONG Opposition members in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) have strongly expressed their opposition to the issuing of No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the council to the Geological Survey of India (GSI) to carry out survey on mineral deposits and had also asked the executive committee to immediately scrap the NOC and to summon the officials of the GSI.

This issue was raised by the Opposition through a ‘Zero Hour Notice’ on the final day of the budget session of the district council.

In this connection, KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Teinwell Dkhar said, “We assure the members of the House that the Executive Committee will call a meeting to discuss this matter with officials of the GSI and if we don’t receive a proper answer from them pertaining to this subject, we will scrap the NOC.”

The CEM also said that the NOC was issued by the former KHADC CEM, HS Shylla earlier this year and it was issued after the election dates for the district council polls were announced.

“This is an issue which not only concerns the Opposition. The entire people of the State are concerned with the present issue,” he said.

Earlier, Bajop Pyngrope, MDC from Rambrai constituency, after raising the ‘Zero Hour Notice’, said that as per information received, the former CEM, HS Shylla along with the secretary of the council had given permission to the GSI to carry out survey on mineral deposits not only in areas under Rambrai but also in areas which falls under the jurisdiction of the council.

In this regard, he said that if this information turns out to be true then the council should immediately scrap the NOC.

Meanwhile, Nongstoin MDC, Gabriel Wahlang said that in the NOC it did not clearly mention whether the survey is for uranium or other minerals.

“This poses a grave danger because our region has mineral deposits like uranium, hence we want to urge the CEM to take up this matter seriously and examine the NOC properly,” he said.

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