The National People’s Party (NPP) did not have the required permission to cut down trees on its new office property, Right to Information (RTI) activist Disparsing Rani said today.
The NPP plot, measuring 10,000 sq feet, was part of a stretch overlooking Polo that was an urban forest of sorts, covered in trees. However, that stretch of forest now has a big break in it where the new offices of the NPP are being built.
In May, the Youth Congress claimed that the construction has no building permission from the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA). This was denied by the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
According to Rani’s RTI findings, the NPP office does not have permission to cut trees or even to commence construction of the building. Other documentation, however, was provided to the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
There is around 389 hectares of government revenue land in East Khasi Hills, out of which 10,000 sq feet has been allocated to the NPP and the same amount to the Congress Party and United Democratic Party and 3,000 sq ft to the Hill State People’s Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party.
