By IANS,
Shillong : Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said Thursday a committee would negotiate with the defence ministry for returning to the civil authorities vast stretches of land occupied by various military establishments in this state capital.
“Re-transfer of certain stretches of land occupied by the defence establishments was of utmost urgency for undertaking critically important infrastructure and development structures,” Sangma told the state assembly.
The chief minister made the announcement in the assembly after legislators from across the political spectrum urged for the quick return of the land to the state government.
“The city (Shillong) has been growing at a rate of 32.38 per cent with approximately 0.5 million population with one of the highest man-to-vehicle ratios in the country.
“Therefore, there is an urgent need for re-transferring of defence land to the state to build flyovers to ease the flow of traffic,” Sangma said.
Stating that about 38 acres of land held by defence forces at Umroi was required to expand the runway of the only functional airport in Meghalaya, the chief minister said that he has taken up the matter with the prime minister and the defence minister on the issue.
Sangma also informed the house that among the areas, which the state government wants re-transferred for civilian use, is also the Garrison Ground in the heart of Shillong city.
Speaker Charles Pyngrope too cited cases of insensitivity on part of defence personnel in their behaviour towards the indigenous population.
Citing one case, he drew the attention of the Chief Minister towards the fact that the Gorkha Training Centre even refused to recognize a registered deed in the Lapalang area of the city.
Earlier, moving a resolution in this regard, Paul Lyngdoh of the United Democratic Party, a constituent of the Meghalaya United Alliance government, drew the attention of the government on the urgent need for regaining land from defence authorities.