Shillong, Jul 16: The Khun Hynñiewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Executive Member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) raising grievances over a tender floated by the Commissioner of Transport for setting up a registered vehicle scrapping facility (RVSF).
In the memorandum, KHNAM said the Commissioner of Transport had invited applications for allotment of land and selection of agency to set up and operate the RVSF.
KHNAM alleged that, as per the terms and conditions of the tender, the intention of the state government appears to be to allot the contract to companies/agencies from outside Meghalaya, thereby “blocking the local indigenous from qualifying in the technical bid.”
As the KHADC has powers under the Trading by Non-Tribal Regulation 1954, KHNAM asked the council to deny any outside company that wins the RVSF contract a licence so as to ensure that local youth are provided with opportunity to run such a trade.
KHNAM further claimed that it has received information about attempts to use tribal names and identity to avoid obtaining a trading licence from KHADC, which would be a violation, in its opinion, of the Benami Act.
