The Khasi Students Union (KSU) has lodged a complaint with the East Khasi Hills Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) against families allegedly residing illegally in an area in Mahadev Khola, under its jurisdiction.
According to the KSU Laban Circle, the area was given specifically for construction of a temple in 1923, but as time passed people from outside the state have settled in the area.
The KSU said they had conducted an inspection and found that there are about 30-40 families are illegally residing in the area with no documents.
While the dorbar shnongs of Lawsohtun and Lummawbah have not claim authority over the area since it falls under the forest department, the KSU said a stream located in the area is under threat due to indiscriminate disposal of waste.
The union also pointed out that Mahadev Khola has also turned into a “den of drug abusers and theft.”
The DFO has sought time to take up the matter and conduct an inspection.
Meanwhile, the KSU Namdong unit today inspected commercial and private vehicles to prevent Karbis from entering West Jaiñtia Hills district.
The union said this was done because the Khasis living in the inter-state border, especially those from Khanduli were prevented by the Karbis to go to their agriculture land.
“We would like to urge all the border residents and the waheh shnong to support us and not to conduct business with the Karbis until peace is restored in Khanduli,” the KSU said in a statement.
