Conrad, Metbah justify Eastern West name for new district
CM opens 12th district at Mairang amid fanfare
Mairang,Nov 10: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Mairang MLA Metbah Lyngdoh, who is also the Assembly Speaker, justified the nomenclature of Eastern West Khasi Hills for the new district.
Conrad and Metbah said beyond the name, the intention of the government is to bring administration closer to people.
“I was amused and concerned by the debate on social media regarding the name of the district but what is important is how we can make the district better,” Conrad said.
He said the cabinet took a deliberate decision to go for Eastern West Khasi Hills since the new district is in eastern part of West Khasi Hills.
According to the chief minister, for naming the new district, several consultations were made and different people were asked for their opinions.
“We are a matrilineal society, so we felt that some linkage with the parent district should be incorporated. Hence the cabinet felt that ad the region falls in the eastern part of West Khasi Hills, we should name it as Eastern West Khasi Hills.”
Metbah said he was happy to know the healthy debate on social media regarding the name.
“This shows everyone has freedom to express thier own views which translates a sense of ownership of the new district”, he said.
Fanfare
As the chief minister, in the presence of Speaker, cabinet colleagues and officers , inaugurated the 12th district, a helicopter hovering over the sky showered flowers three times to mark the occasion amid bursting of crackers and loud cheers of the crowd.
Hydrogen balloons were also released on the occasion.
The Eastern West Khasi Hills with its headquarters at Mairang was formed after bifurcating from its parent district of West Khasi Hills.
The new district consists of Mairang and Mawthadraishan C&RD blocks.
Mairang is one of the oldest civil sub-divisions, which was inaugurated on November 10, 1976 and exactly after 45 years, it was upgraded to a new district.
