Defence authorities under house scanner over land possesion

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government is working with the defence authorities to resolve disputes over possesion of land holdings in Shillong city.

Admitting in the house today that there has been controversies over possesion land in Shillong by the security forces, Chief Minister D  D Lapang said the state government has held several rounds of meetings with  the defence authorities to resolve the dispute and clear some land for civil use.
  
According to statistics given by the chief minister, over 2413 acres are under the possession of the security forces in Shillong city. While security forces have been garrisoned here from the British era, there has been resentment from the people as almost half of the city is under the possesion of the defence authorities.
    
The cantonments set up in these plots, include the 101 area headquarters of the army's eastern command and th eastern command headquarters of the air force.
  
Replying to a querry by mla P M Syiem, the chief minister said a survey was being conducted by the state government to identify those tracts wrongly claimed by the defence authorites.
  
Lapang also said the government would consider a suggestion by Syiem that a high powered committee be set up to find documents of the British Raj and those with the tribal leaders so that the government could claim back certain tracts from the defence authorities.
  
The chief minister also assured that expansion of the capital city was high on the priority list of the state government.