Mining project unearths rift in Meghalaya

Clans disagree over uranium radiation’s side effects and regret lack of enough awareness drives

E.M. JOSE

Fromly Lyngdoh (left) and his aunt Spillity who are opposed to uranium mining. A Telegraph picture Wahkaji, (West Khasi Hills), Sept. 29: To mine or not to mine is a question that has divided clans, families and friends in Meghalaya. This holds particularly true for the stretch between Wahkaji and Mawthabah, about 130km the state capital, where Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) and Meghalaya government plan to mine uranium. A visit to the uranium mining sites reveals the stark division in clans and families — some opposing uranium mining and others supporting it. A majority of the land in the uranium mining sites in this stretch belong to the Lyngdoh-Langrin and the Lyngdoh-Sangriang clans. While some members of these clans have parted with their land to UCIL on lease, others are unwilling to do so. A majority is blaming UCIL and state government besides the NGOs sponsored by them for creating confusion over the mining project. Eudora Lyngdoh, 50, a member of the Lyngdoh-Langrin clan, who had leased out the land to the UCIL along with some other members of clan, said they did so expecting development in these remote areas. “We had worked with the Atomic Mineral Division during the drilling period at Domiasiat, in 1984, a uranium mining site, but there were no ill effects,” Lyngdoh said. However a 90-year-old woman from the same clan, Spillity Lyngdoh, begs to differ. Though she had a plot in Domiasiat, she decided not to part with it. Most villagers are still in the dark about development projects to be taken up by UCIL at the mining sites as approved by the Meghalaya cabinet on August 24. Lesbillian Lyngdoh-Langrin, for instance, feels the views of the majority should be respected as far as the issue of actual mining of uranium is concerned. A Wahkaji resident, Naphang Lyngksor, said during the public hearing on June 12 at Nongbah Jynrin organised by Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, a majority had opposed uranium mining. Some landowners from Lyngdoh-Sangriang at Mawthabahnow regret their decision of handing over land to UCIL for mining of uranium. “I regret leasing out land to the UCIL and I did so only because of my nephew,” said 60-year-old Yonder Lyngdoh-Sangriang from Mawthabah. Yonder also said most people were not aware of projects worth Rs 209 core approved by the government recently. “We read about it only in newspapers. Nobody has come to inform us about this,” he said.

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Secular ideals colour festivities

Fair weather lifts Puja spirits

Priests perform Kumari Puja at Ramakrishna Mission in Agartala on Saturday. Picture by Eastern Projections Sept. 27: The secular ideals of Puja embraced the Northeast and the festive spirit engulfed the people as celebrations peaked on Maha Ashtami today. Fair weather also lifted the spirits of the people as the sky remained clear despite predictions of rain. In Meghalaya, D.D. Lapang, a Christian chief minister, and some of his ministerial colleagues paid obeisance to the Mother Goddess, praying for peace and prosperity. Lapang, accompanied by Union minister for water resources Vincent Pala, deputy chief minister B.M. Lanong and public health and engineering minister Prestone Tynsong, visited 12 puja pandals in Shillong. Lapang wished the people and hoped the festival would be celebrated in the true spirit of brotherhood, peace and tranquillity. In Assam, chief minister Tarun Gogoi offered prayers at the Hari Sabha community puja at Panbazar, which is one of the oldest Pujas in the state. He was accompanied by former minister Robin Bordoloi. Across the city, the rhythmic sound of dhaks (drums) reverberated in the air and a large number of devotees thronged the pandals to offer prayers to the goddess. The best was saved for nightfall when people packed into the streets by the thousands for the customary pandal-hopping. Dressed in their festive best, the Puja revellers jostled for space as they made a beeline to the brightly decorated pandals. The streets were packed with vehicles moving bumper to bumper under the watchful eyes of security personnel whose numbers have been doubled in public places. In Tripura, peaceful progress of the festival in the tribal-dominated hilly interiors of the state has come as a relief for officials. “Altogether, 311 community pujas are being held in the tribal-dominated areas across the state and we are happy that no untoward incident has been reported so far,” said Nepal Das, DIG (operations). However, late last night, a scooter rider and a biker died on the spot and three others, seated behind them, sustained serious injuries as the two-wheelers collided head-on in a semi-dark spot midway between Agartala Central Jail and Lal Bahadur club.

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Khasi outfit criticises Meghalaya govt's nod to UCIL

Shillong, Sept 26 (PTI) The Meghalaya government's decision to allow pre-development projects for uranium mining at Wahkaji was today criticised by a traditional Khasi outfit on grounds that it posed environmental hazards.

Spokesman and adviser of the Federation of Twenty Five Khasi States of Meghalaya, John F Kharshiing said the white paper submitted by Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to the erstwhile Donkupar Roy government was unsatisfactory and inadequate as the project posed serious health and environmental hazards.

A study of the white paper revealed that project activity would require large uninterrupted supply of water for which water resources in and around the project area would be tapped.

This would eventually cause rivers and streams around the uranium mining area to be contaminated and become unfit for human consumption.

"This is a matter which needs study by independent professionals ...

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Meghalaya to set up quake cells

Shillong, Sept. 26 : The Meghalaya government will set up emergency operating centres in all the districts of the state to tackle natural disasters such as earthquakes.

The recent wave of earthquakes has prompted the state government to beef up disaster preparedness.

The Meghalaya director-general of civil defence and homeguards, W.R. Marbaniang, said there was a significant increase in the state’s level of preparedness to deal with disasters, earthquakes in particular.

He said additional chief secretary W.M.S. Pariat had recently convened a meeting to operationalise the centres in all the seven districts of the state. These centres would act like control rooms for the districts.

Marbaniang said even before the earthquakes, from 2006, the civil defence and homeguards had begun training around 31,000 personnel as medical first responders for search and rescue operations.

These personnel improvise on locally available materials like bamboo and blankets to make stretchers to carry injured persons in case of any eventuality.

The state government will constitute a technical committee to review the granting of permission to construct buildings and structures. It will be authorised to dismantle all the structures that do not conform to the building bylaws. The decision came after frequent earthquakes in the state.

An official source said the government was concerned over the highrise structures in Shillong, which may add to the misery of people if a major earthquake strikes. Officials of the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority said experts could review and give permission to construct buildings and structures in accordance with the bylaws framed by the government.

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Lapang lists govt feats in 100 days

Shillong, Sept. 24 : The D.D. Lapang government today claimed credit for completing several schemes, a majority of which were initiated by previous governments, during its “100 days in office”.

Releasing a booklet, 100 days in office, highlighting the major programmes completed by the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government, the chief minister admitted that a majority of its achievements were initiated by the previous governments but added that they were completed within 100 days of his new government.

He said this was an occasion to look back upon what the government had achieved and what it was planning to do in future.

“We also want to see that there is transparency in the implementation of the projects so that development touches the grassroots,” he added.

The chief minister said his government wanted to see every body in the state being benefited from its programmes and policies.

The booklet says there is a decline in the activities of Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, a Khasi hills-based militant group so far as law and order was concerned.

“Besides maintaining close vigil, the government carried out operations to thwart the anti-national activities of Ulfa, the UPDS (United People’s Democratic Solidarity), the DHD (J) (Dima Halam Daogah-Jewel) and the KNV (Karbi National Volunteers) in our territory and on the inter-state border with Assam,” the booklet says.

The Congress-led government also takes credit for improving the power scenario in the state by commissioning various power projects.

In the heath sector, the booklet says the government has implemented the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to provide health insurance coverage to families below the poverty line.

In social welfare, the government claims to have initiated statewide sensitisation programmes on combating crime against women in all the district headquarters. The programmes draw participants from police and health departments as well as non-governmental organisations.

The booklet also mentions the government’s initiative to boost tourism by developing Umiam lake and other tourist spots in the state and highlights its achievements in the field of sports, infrastructure (roads), water supply, agriculture, rural development and education.

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Two Bangladeshi intruders nabbed in Meghalaya

Shillong, Sept 23 (PTI) Two Bangladeshi intruders have been apprehended by the BSF for trying to illegally enter India through two separate points in Meghalaya, BSF sources said today.

The border guards stationed at Pyrdiwah in Meghnalaya's East Khasi Hills district on the Indo-Bangladesh border yesterday apprehended a Bangladeshi while he was trying to intrude into the country, the sources said.

During questioning, the person said he hailed from Mohatapur village in Comila district of Bangladesh.

In a separate incident, the BSF border outpost of Latangtilla in Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills District today apprehended another Bangladeshi infiltrator who hailed from Sant Dania village in Dhaka District.

The BSF personnel recovered Bangladesh currency amounting to 1,428 Taka and liqour from his possession.

Both of them were handed over to the Meghalaya police for interrogation, the sources added.

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MUA govt in Meghalaya completes 100 days in office

Shillong, Sept 23 The Congress led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government today celebrated 100 days in office.

Chief Minister, D D Lapang highlighted the achievements in infrastructure, rural development and social sectors.

Releasing a brochure titled, '100 Day in office, at a function here, Lapang lauded the cooperation of his cabinet ministers and government servants for their hard work and dedication in bringing development in the state.

"We have achieved development during a short span of time," Lapang said, but admitted that a lot of things were yet to be done.

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Call for green Garo hills

Shillong, Sept. 18 : The Garo Students’ Union today urged the Meghalaya forest department to check felling in the Garo hills and ensure a pollution-free environment.

In a letter to the divisional forest officer (territorial), West Garo Hills, the students’ union secretary in charge of forest affairs, Brucelee Marak, today said rampant felling and the state forest department’s lack of initiative to check the trend had become a cause of concern.

The authorities turned a blind eye to timber smuggling despite several reminders, the students’ union alleged.

Stressing the importance of a clean environment as essential to improve the quality of life, Marak said: “The air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat should be free of pollution and contaminants.”

In violation of a Supreme Court order banning felling and smuggling of timber from the reserve forests and private lands, chopping off trees and timber smuggling is the order of the day in the Garo hills, Marak alleged.

The union urged the forest department to look into the matter with seriousness and take measures to stop felling by some vested interests. “We want to live undisturbed by unhealthy atmosphere and enjoy the beauty of the region, unspoiled coastlines and the mountain areas. We also want a Garo hills that is not threatened by climate change,” Marak said.

Bangla intrusion

The border residents at Dawki expressed concern over the intrusion of a large number of Bangladeshis, who crossed over by boats on the Umngot river in Dawki, accompanied by the Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB), in the last two days.

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Thousands protest, Army barred from Meghalaya village

Shillong: Protesting the alleged molestation of a minor and assault on villagers by Army personnel, thousands of people today took out a rally demanding punishment to the guilty.

The Army personnel were "barred" from entering Bishnupur where the incident took place.

Holding placards against the "barbarism", residents of Bishnupur took to the streets demanding justice and an end to the forces "highhandedness".

"The state government should also force Army to shift the camp of Territorial Army from the area," Assistant Secretary of Village Dorbar D Swer told reporters.

The local Dorbar Shnong (village council) has also barred Army personnel from entering the village.

"The village council has resolved that no Army personnel would be allowed to enter here," a statement issued by the council said.

On Sunday evening, a jawan of the 119 Territorial Army allegedly molested a seven-year-old girl here. Later, a taxi driver who spotted the girl took her home.

The alleged molester and his colleagues later came to Bishnupur in search of the taxi driver and beat up locals, injuring five persons, council members said.

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Nichols Roy’s bust unveiled in Shillong

SHILLONG, Sept 15 – In recognition of his effort to establish the Autonomous District Councils in Meghalaya, a bust of Reverend James Joy Mohan Nichols Roy was unveiled during his 50th death anniversary here recently.

Costing Rs 4 lakh, the granite bust of the founding father of the District Council was made in Orissa. The bust was unveiled at the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council premises by its Chief Executive Member, Mansturdy Nongrem.

“He was a true nationalist and the person behind the Hill State Movement which helped Meghalaya attain Statehood,” former Union Tribal Minister and a close associate of Rev. Roy during the Movement, PR Kyndiah said.

Rev. Roy, Kyndiah said, opposed the British Government’s move to make Shillong the capital of East Pakistan during the Partition of India. Instead, Rev. Roy wanted the merger of all “Khasi chiefdom” into a State with special status and remain with India, he added.

“He was a visionary and thought way ahead of his time and shaped the destiny of Khasi-Jaintia-Garo hills.

Rev. Roy was the grandnephew of freedom fighter, U Tirot Sing and worked together with Dr BR Amedkar to help draft the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution as a member of the Constituent Assembly which eventually helped in the formation of District Councils.

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Drug addicts see five times jump in Meghalaya

Shillong, Sept 13 The number of drug users in Meghalaya have increased five folds in the past five years, according to a survey.

As per the survey by Impulse NGO Network, the number of drug addicts in the state has reached 17,833 this year as against around 2,000 five years ago.

The figure excludes alcohol addicts which could well be a staggering number considering that alcohol related deaths among young males is very high, said the report which was released today at a convergence meeting of NGOs, UN agencies, government officials and security forces.

Recognising the gravity of the problem, the department of Social Welfare is working towards bringing out a State Policy on Drug Abuse in consultation with NGOs working in the areas of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS, officials said.

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More EMRI 108 ambulances in Meghalaya

SHILLONG, Sept 13 : Meghalaya is going to have 30 EMRI 108 ambulances. Seven ambulances are coming tomorrow and 10 more next year.

Today, three EMRI 108 Ambulances have been launched at Nongpoh in Ri-Bhoi district and these will function in three areas of the district — Nongpoh, Umsning and Bhoirymbong. The three ambulances were launched by Chief Minister DD Lapang, where he said, “This is a great achievement of the State”.

He added that the Patharkhmah area also was on the list of availing these services, but due to communication problem, the area has been curtailed from the list. So, Lapang said, “To have access to these services, good communication is a must.”

Sangma said: “We are running short of 200 doctors in the State.” Regarding the problems of the doctors staying at remote places, Sangma said they could not be given excuse in this regard as they have commitment to their services.

Commissioner and Secretary of NHRM DP Wahlang said, “Meghalaya is the second State in the Northeast after Asom to have these services.” The programme was organized by National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Government of Meghalaya. THE SENTINEL

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Ri Bhoi night blockade off

Shillong, Sept. 9 : The Ri Bhoi Youth Federation has called off its night blockade along National Highway 40 in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya.

Ri Bhoi superintendent of police R. Dkhar saidtoday that the federation had called off the blockade after an assurance from the deputy commissioner of the district, Akash Deep, that its demands would be taken up by the government.

The decision to call off the strike also comes in the wake of chief minister D.D. Lapang deciding to launch three ambulances manned by the Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) in Nongpoh on Thursday.

Lapang had an emergency meeting with his cabinet colleagues last evening following which a decision was taken to provide the ambulance service to the district.

The youth body is demanding appointment of doctors and medical staff at the primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs) in the district.

Absence of doctors and staff at the centres has caused undue hardship to patients.

The federation had also asked the government to put an end to the frequent transfer of officials from the district, a move that has affected development.

The organisation had also asked the state government to release ambulances for the district, as patients were still dependent on private ambulance service.

The Ri Bhoi SP said the first day of the two-day blockade had affected normal flow of traffic but it passed off peacefully.

“We had escorted several vehicles which had to reach Guwahati, Silchar, Agartala and Mizoram”, he added.

However, there were traffic snarls at several places through the morning as several vehicles were stranded after the first day’s blockade ended at 5am. The snarls started clearing after several hours with police making an extra effort to get the additional vehicles moving.

The police also arrested five persons last night from Nongpoh for pelting stones at trucks passing through NH-40. However, they were released today.

The protesters also tried to torch tyres on the highway with an intention to disrupt traffic flow. However, the police foiled their attempts.

With the blockade called off, normal traffic was restored by the evening.

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Nurse death probe gaps miff minister

Mukul Sangma Shillong, Sept 9 : Meghalaya deputy chief minister in charge of health, Mukul Sangma, has returned the report of the departmental inquiry into the cause of death of a nurse of Shillong Civil Hospital to the directorate of health services, asking it to conduct a more detailed probe into the case. The 25-year-old nurse, Mary Lyngdoh, who was administered Tamiflu, a medicine for swine flu, actually suffered from typhoid and died on the morning of August 26 at the ICU of the civil hospital. On August 28, the health minister had ordered an administrative inquiry to be conducted by the directorate, the report of which was submitted on September 2. However, Sangma found that the report was incomplete, as the impact of mixing of two medicines —one for swine flu and the other for typhoid — was not explained in the report. The doctors in the civil hospital prescribed Tamiflu to Mary after she was admitted on August 1 as she along with the doctors were also treating the H1N1 virus-affected or suspected patients at the hospital. However, it was found that she was actually suffering from typhoid for which medicines were also administered. “We have to examine whether the effects of the use of both medicines by the nurse has anything to do with her death,” said Sangma. The doctors could not determine whether she was actually suffering from swine flu as the test results which had confirmed negative for HINI did not reach the hospital in time since the private courier company had sent the samples to Kohima instead of the laboratory in Calcutta for testing. Mary was admitted to the civil hospital’s isolation ward following high fever and symptoms of swine flu on August 18. The hospital authorities had sent the throat swab samples of the nurse to the courier company on August 19 to be dispatched to Calcutta for testing. On August 24, the test result from Calcutta confirmed negative for swine flu. However, a day before that, it was confirmed that the nurse was actually suffering from typhoid and she was also given medicine for the disease. Though the nurse was shifted to the ICU of the civil hospital on August 25, she died the next day. With the investigation report still incomprehensive, the state government is yet to fix any compensation for the family members of the victim. Sangma said the administrative inquiry report into the death of the nurse, which he had received, was incomplete. According to him, there was a need to go in-depth to find out the side effects of administering two drugs to the nurse who was actually suffering from typhoid.

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Meghalaya holds back pay revision after employees' strike

Shillong: In an aggressive move, Meghalaya government has put on hold the pay revision following a two-day strike by the employees who have also threatened to launch an indefinite protest from September 10.

Embarking on the two-day strike from yesterday, the staff abstained from duties demanding that the pay revision be implemented with retrospective effect from January 2006, instead of 2007 as decided by the government.

The state cabinet, in a meeting last night, decided to maintain the status quo with regard to the salaries of the state government employees, putting the pay revision on hold, official sources said.

The decision came barely a week after it had approved an overall pay hike of about 32 per cent for the employees with retrospective effect from January 1, 2007.

The sources said the cabinet concluded that in view of the financial constraints on the state, it would be impossible for the government to revise pay scales with effect from January 1, 2006.

On Saturday, Lapang dismissed the possibility of talks with the employees saying the government was ready to maintain status quo with regard to the salaries of the employees.

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Lapang slams protesting state employees

Shillong, Sep 5 Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang today came down heavily on the state government employees for their unwillingness to accept the Cabinets decision to implement the state's Fourth Pay Commission recommendations with effect from January 1, 2007.

Lapang said the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government has made all efforts to get the central nod for implementation of the Commission's recommendations, but the employees were going on with their agitation.

"In a democratic set-up, everyone has the right to agitate, but the government will not allow any indiscipline amongst the employees," the chief minister said.

He said his government took the initiative to implement the recommendations by meeting the prime minister and the union finance ministry officials but none of the employees expressed gratitude to the government.

Lapang's reaction came in the backdrop that the Meghalaya State Government Employees Federation deciding to wear black badges on September 7 and 8, to protest against the Cabinets decision to revise the salaries with effect from January 2007.

The employees have been demanding that the pay revision be implemented with retrospect effect from January, 2006 with an over all hike of 32 per cent as recommended by the Fourth Pay Commission.

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Meghalaya govt employees call for two-day strike

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya State Employees’ Federation (MSGEF) has called for a two-day strike on September 7-8 to protest the Cabinet decision on the implementation of the new pay revision.

The MSGEF's decision came after the Cabinet approved the new pay scale of state government employees with effect from January 1, 2007.

However, the government employees under the banner of the federation earlier were demanding a hike of 3.3 per cent on their basic pay and pay revision retrospectively from January 1, 2006.

With the overall pay hike being around 32 per cent, the government will have to spend Rs 330 crore on salaries of about 70,000 employees annually. The arrears to be paid to the state government employees would be Rs 660 crore.

Forty per cent of the arrears will be paid in the current financial year and the remaining 60 per cent in the next year.

Moreover, all government employees working in rural areas will enjoy rural allowance.

As per the new pay scales, educational allowance for one school-going child will be Rs 5,500, while the amount for two children will be Rs 11,000.

Chief Minister D D Lapang said the revision was made possible after the Centre approved Rs 260 crore.

''We asked for Rs 545 crore from the Centre to implement the pay revision but it assured us Rs 260 crore and the remaining balance would be given later,'' Lapang said.

The government also decided to give pension benefits to all the employees who had served for 10 years and above.
Earlier, only regular employees received pension benefits.

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Fish on sale at Meghalaya secretariat

Shillong, Sept 5 To a pleasant surprise of state government employees, the department of fisheries has conducted a sale of fresh fish in the main secretariat premises here.

In an attempt to attract people to take up pisciculture as a sustainable income generating occupation, the department arranged for the sale of fish from the harvest made by the beneficiaries who had taken to pisciculture with assistance from the department.

Over two dozen beneficiaries under the department sold around 250 kg of fish at around Rs 100 per kg during the day-long sale.

Fisheries Minister A T Mondol said pisciculture can be an income generating occupation. Fish lovers in the state depended on frozen fish from outside the state. There is a good demand for fish in the state which can be met if the people take it up as occupation instead of hobby.

Through the sale we also intended to highlight the several schemes like provision of subsidized fish seedlings and fish food apart from finding suitable market for fresh water fish, the minister said after the sale yesterday.

The surprise sale of fish at the secretariat premises made the employees leave their tables and buy their quota of fish.

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