Mon, March 11 (MExN): The Chi and Mon Land Owners’ Association on Friday stated that it would continue to boycott elections to the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) within its jurisdiction owing to the State Government’s purported failure to honour an Agreement inked in 1964.
According to a press release from CMLOA President O Kamzei Konyak, the Agreement of 1964 was signed between the land owners of Mon headquarters and the District Administration, Government of Nagaland on February 21, 1964.
Mention may be made that as per the Agreement, it was resolved that the government would pay 30-50 percent of taxes to the landowners from Chi and Mon villages for a period of 25 years, after which it would be reviewed. However, the landowners claimed that the Agreement was not implemented and in August 17, 2015, the same was reviewed with the then Deputy Commissioner of Mon. During the review meeting, the Association had agreed to revoke the 1964 Agreement in lieu of appointment in Grade IV posts in government departments in Mon headquarters, nomination of one person each from Chi and Mon in the Mon Town Council and the District Planning and Development Board, on or before December 21, 2015.
This demand was again, not fulfilled by the state government leading the CMLOA to revert to its original position on the 1964 Agreement and subsequent boycotting of ULB elections till the original agreement was implemented.
In the press release, the CMLOA stated that in October 27, 2016 also, it had resolved to boycott the election to the Mon Town Council and served an ultimatum to the state government through the Mon Deputy Commissioner to act on the matter on or before December 7, 2016.
“Since then, the CMLOA regret that the state government is yet to take progressive step to resolve the matter,” the release stated while asserting that the Association would stand firm on its demands.
The release was necessitated “to remind the state government that the Chi and Mon Land Owners’ Association will not let ULB election to be conducted within its jurisdiction until our demands are fulfilled,” it added.
