Shillong, Feb 14: The Jaintia National Council (JNC) has accused traditional heads in Jaintia Hills for the mushrooming of cement plants and non-tribal owned shops thereby causing influx in the region.
JNC president Sambormi Lyngdoh said that before starting any business a non tribal has to procure a NOC (no objection certificate) from the traditional heads without which they cannot start an enterprise.
Lyngdoh pointed to the recent public hearing for Shree Cement in Nongkhlieh in East Jaintia Hills where the traditional head did not allow pressure groups and residents from participating in it.
“In reality we don’t need laws but we need the traditional institutions to protect us from unabated influx,” he said.
Taking example of what happened in Thangkso, he said that the incident would not have happened if the traditional head were strict about the entry of outsiders inside the Elaka.
He also said that the authorities of the Elaka don’t want pressure groups to operate in the area and the latter out of respect for the traditional heads do not want to confront them.
Lyngdoh said that the traditional heads get monetary gains if they issue NOCs be it a shop selling kwai or cement plant.
He pointed out that in East Jaintia Hills most of the business has been captured by outsiders.
Lyngdoh said that if the traditional heads work together with the pressure groups they can curb influx.
The JNC president said that apart from influx the unscientific coal mining is also causing water and air pollution.
