Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Chief Executive Member Winston Tony Lyngdoh on Friday said the council has adopted a strict trade licencing policy, particularly within Shillong, whereby new licences will be issued only in areas which have no Khasi residents.
Reacting to reports suggesting that the council had issued trading licences to non-tribals to operate electronic shops in Them Mawbah, Lyngdoh said only one fresh licence has been issued in that area which, according to him, no longer has any Khasi residents.
He said if indigenous local people come forward to open shops in Them Mawbah, the council will immediately cancel the trading licence issued to the non-tribal who runs an electronic shop. He added that the non-tribal trader was born and brought up there and lived there for decades. The licence was issued after scrutinising all documents and obtaining a No Objection Certificate from the local Dorbar Shnong, he said.
