Shillong: Two Shillong activist groups want the state to kill a lease for a new petrol pump. The Joint Coordination Committee of the FKJGP and KSU Upper Shillong circles delivered a formal demand to the Directorate of Urban Affairs on Wednesday. They insist the government stop handing over land meant for the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department to a private owner.
The fight started back in 2023. Activists claim the government is pushing to relocate Ashok Auto Service & Partners despite years of loud public resistance. The group points out that the site was once allegedly earmarked for a flyover, a project that never happened since the four-lane road is already finished.
FKJGP Upper Shillong Circle general secretary Kitboklang Nongphlang said the land should benefit the public. He stated, "The land belongs to the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department and should be utilised for public welfare instead of being leased to a private party."
Records show the state leased over 13,000 square feet of the Indo-Danish Project campus to the private firm for 30 years. The company paid a one-time premium of Rs 1 lakh and owes an annual rent. The activists now demand the total cancellation of the allotment letter, possession letter, and the lease agreement signed in December.
The delegation submitted their memo in the Khasi language. They are pushing the government to follow the Meghalaya State Language Ordinance, 2026. Urban Affairs director Prafulla Kumar Boro promised to pass the concerns up the chain for review.
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