The demand for upgradation of Sohra civil sub-division into a full-fledged district has rekindled with Chief Minister Conrad Sangma assuring that the State government would entrust Chief Secretary Donald P. Wahlang to examine the issue.
A delegation of Sohra District Demand Forum (SDDF) met Sangma today and had a detailed discussion with him on the issue.
Briefing media persons after the meeting, SDDF general secretary John W. Thabah said that the meeting was positive as the chief minister has shown his keen interest for creation of Sohra district.
“The meeting was positive as the chief minister has assured to look into our demand seriously this time. He will be referring the matter to the chief secretary to initiate the process and to examine all the documents that we have presented to the government,” Thabah said.
Stating that the headquarters of the proposed district would be in Sohra, Thabah said that this has been the stand of the forum since the first meeting with the chief minister in October 2018.
On the problem of geographical landscape as expressed in the past by the chief minister, the SDDF general secretary said that the majority of the 200 odd villages under the existing Sohra civil sub-division wanted to be part of the proposed Sohra district.
“Three or four villages should not become hurdles to the whole process. The chief minister today said that the government is trying to sort out these issues,” Thabah said.
Moreover, the SDDF also submitted a reminder to the chief minister where it stated that the demand for upgradation of Sohra civil sub-division into full-fledged district has the support of majority of people from villages under Sohra and Shella constituencies.
“Since Meghalaya has attained its 50th year of statehood in 2022, it would be in the fitness of things that Sohra civil sub-division which is one of the oldest civil sub-divisions in the State is given its due recognition by upgrading it into a full-fledged district with the sole objective of bringing the administration closer to the people and also ensure that the area prospers in all spheres,” the letter said.
Along with the letter, the forum also handed over the letters of support from the Hima Sohra, the Sirdars, the Sordars and the headmen of villages under Sohra civil sub-division to the demand for creation of Sohra district.
