Shillong, Aug 14: The Synjuk Ki Nongialam Ri-Bhoi District (SKNRBD) has alleged that areas under the three Assembly constituencies – Umroi, Jirang and Mawhati in the district were sidelined during the silver jubilee celebration of the district held in June this year.
SKNRBD chairman, Sunlight Shadap told reporters here on Monday that the areas were completely sidelined by the organizing committee of the silver jubilee celebration, and such action has hurt the sentiments of many.
“The celebration seemed to be only from Umsning to Nongpoh,” Shadap alleged.
The 25th anniversary of Ri-Bhoi district was celebrated at NSCA Stadium, Pahamsyiem from June 5 to 9.
He said that a meeting of headmen from different villages of three constituencies was held on July 20, wherein they expressed their concern over the attitude of the organizing committee which failed to invite them to be part of the celebration.
Referring to a souvenir which was released during the closing ceremony of the silver jubilee celebration, Shadap said that not a single representative from these three areas were made members of the editorial board even as he pointed out various loopholes in the souvenir.
“Despite having people (who are well educated) from these areas who are very much fit to be there (editorial board), the organizing committee however include people who are not even from the district to be members of the editorial board,” he said.
He said that the supervisor of the editorial board for the souvenir was Desmond Kharmawphlang, while chief editor was K.Uriah, who according to him, was also not a resident of the district.
Moreover, Shadap pointed a number of mistakes in the souvenir especially in term of information about the district, which made them to believe that it was never edited properly before releasing.
“The souvenir has misinformed the people about the educational qualification of former chief minister, D.D. Lapang, whom people looked up to as a father of the district. The souvenir stated that he (Lapang) was only a matriculate,” he said.
According to him, the souvenir also failed to mention the first ever public representative from the district, Dlosing Lyngdoh who became chairman of the KHADC.
“In the souvenir, only the names of people who held the post after him (Dlosing Lyngdoh) were highlighted,” he said.
He further alleged that the souvenir had mistakenly located the Airport which located at Umroi, by mentioning that the Airport located at Bhoirymbong.
“The souvenir also presented a wrong photo caption of Umiam Lake as Dwarksuid and failed to highlight the unexplored tourist spots of the district,” he added.
The Synjuk also expressed concern over the grand finale of the celebration by organizing a DJ night.
“They blasted music that caused inconveniences to the residents of Nongpoh besides dance with immoral looks. It is sad that such celebration was organized in this manner,” he said.
To a query, Shadap said that the Synjuk would submit a memorandum of discontent regarding the way the silver jubilee of the district was celebrated to the district administration to ensure that such attitude is avoided in the near future.
“The district will be celebrating its golden jubilee celebration in the years to come, and we want that the same mistake should not be repeated,” he added.
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