HAILAKANDI, July 24 � The Khasi and Jaintia people of Barak Valley have demanded the constitution of a separate development council for them. A delegation of the Khasi-Jaintia Development Council Demand Committee, led by its president Sebastian Pakentine and vice president Wireless Suchiang, recently met the local MP Lalit Mohan Suklavaidya and handed over a letter mentioning their demand.
They requested the parliamentarian to enquire into the present position of the proposal for the constitution of a separate council for them. They said that about two lakh people of Khasi and Jaintia communities are living in Assam and they would be immensely benefited if the council is constituted. They stressed the need of immediate constitution of the council for the socioeconomic uplift of both the communities in the State.
Suchiang informed the media that Suklavaidya has assured them that he will take appropriate measures for placing the demand of the constitution of a separate development council for the Khasis and Jaintias in the concerned ministries. He further informed that they had already submitted a memorandum to the Governor and Chief Minister of Assam, Tribal Areas Development Minister Rajiv Lochan Pegu mentioning their demand. Public Health Engineering Minister Gautam Roy accompanied the delegation of Khasi and Jaintia communities during the submission of memorandum.
