The Hynñiewtrep Youths Council (HYC) has threatened to put the office of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) under lock and key if it is unable to administer its own rules and regulations regarding non-tribal-run businesses.
HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said this in relation to the case of Resource Rubber Pvt Ltd in Mawsmai, Ri-Bhoi when its owner Joginder Pal Kapoor refused to submit to HYC demands to show them the factory’s paperwork when the pressure group’s members turned up there on July 22.
Synrem said today that the factory’s trading licence from the KHADC had expired in 2024 but it was still conducting business. The HYC members padlocked its gates on Monday but police subsequently cut the locks.
The owner of the land on which the factory sits, Donald Rymbai, was the one who had called on the HYC and claimed that Kapoor has not paid rent since 2022. Rymbai also denied that there was an agreement to operate a factory on his land. He was arrested yesterday for “instigating” the HYC and failing to maintain peace and tranquility.
An HYC delegation met KHADC Executive Member in charge of Trade, Gigur Myrthong, today over the issue but came away unsatisfied.
Speaking to reporters, Synrem said that the pressure group has information that Kapoor did not renew his trading licence when it expired in April.
Synrem said that this violates Section 3 of the Trading by Non-Tribal Rules and Regulations 1954.
“The question now is how can this person still run his business to date? We want the KHADC to show its authority as empowered by Section 7A that states if a person or company violates [the rules] the district council has the power to shut down such a company and cease all the materials till the trading licence is issued or renewed,” he stated.
Synrem stressed that if the district council cannot implement its own rules then it is pointless to have the KHADC.
He further informed that Myrthong assured him to take action but asked for more time to study the matter because the factory also has complications related to the ownership of the land. Synrem, however, dismissed this saying that Kapoor should have a trading licence regardless.
“If we have to go and shut down the factory once again then it’s also better for us to come and shut down the district council if it cannot implement its law,” he said, adding that they will follow up on the matter after a week.
