About Meghalaya : Blog Title the same as above

Awareness prog on drugs held

Posted by Sinlung

TURA (MEGHALAYA), Aug 31 – A daylong intensive counseling and awareness programme for the youth on alcoholism, drug addiction, prostitution, child-women trafficking and HIV/AIDS was organized yesterday at the Christian Girls Higher Secondary School by the Society for Activities of Varied Enrichment (SAVE).

Deputy Commissioner of Garo Hills district Sanjay Goyal addressing the gathering urged the youth to abstain from alcohol and addictive substances.

Given the fact that there are increasing number of youth experimenting and getting addicted to alcohol and other intoxicating substances like Ganja, etc., in Garo Hills the deputy commissioner stated that he had spoken with the SP and was in the process of chalking out plans to reduce alcohol and other intoxicant-related crimes by introducing measures to refrain youth from indulging in such vices.

Dr Malti K Marak, District Health and Medical Officer, West Garo Hills, also strongly urged the youth to abstain from alcohol and other intoxicating substances.

The youth of Garo Hills are killing themselves with alcohol and drugs, said Roderick D Shira and stated that the youth can be found indulging in alcohol as soon as dusk falls. The youth today seems to have lost respect for the society, added Shira and urged the youth to come to their senses and refrain from alcohol and other intoxicants.

Air India and Government of Meghalaya keen to tie up

Posted by Sinlung

SHILLONG, Aug 29 : A discussion to start daily flight service by Air India from Kolkata to Shillong and Tura and vice versa was mooted out at a meeting held between Meghalaya Chief Minister DD Lapang and Air India Chief Managing Director Arvind Yadav at New Delhi today.
Yadav, along with senior officials who called on Lapang and Union Minister of State Vincent H Pala at the Meghalaya House in New Delhi, placed their plans on developing Air India’s service in the region and Shillong before Lapang. In turn, the Chief Minister also sought Air India’s cooperation to set up Air India’s call centres.

Both the parties also agreed that Air India will set up a full-fledged world class State aviation training academy in Shillong. For this, they would require 12 acres of land which should be provided by the State Government. This would involve placement for around 600 people.

Yadav also said that Air India would support tourism development in Meghalaya, and for this purpose they would work out sustainable proposals, including seamless multi-modal transport. Air India would also help promoting Meghalaya as a tourist destination through its international and national networks. The Air India CMD said he would visit Shillong around September 15-17 to carry forward these initial proposals.

ACHR asks Meghalaya govt for rs 10 lakh for teenager’s death

Posted by Sinlung

The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) has urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to direct the Meghalaya government to act against policemen responsible for the death of a teenager.

Seventeen-year-old Sngewlem Kharsati of Puriang village in State’s East Khasi Hills district was picked up by police on May 9 allegedly in an extortion case and was beaten to death in Mawryngkneng police station.

The Delhi-based ACHR also demanded an interim compensation of Rs 10 lakh be paid to the next of kin of Kharsati.

However, last week, the State Government announced Rs 2 lakh compensation and initiated actions against the policemen.

The state government has found a number of police personnel guilty for the death of the teenager.

On May 11, the ACHR filed a complaint with the NHRC after the relatives of the boy provided the former with an FIR.

Meghalaya Annual Plan 2009-10 finalized

Posted by Sinlung

The 2009-10 Plan for Meghalaya was finalized here today at a meeting between the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr. D.D. Lapang.

The plan size was agreed at Rs.2100 crores.

Dr. Ahluwalia appreciated the efforts being made by the State Government to improve the State's social and physical infrastructure in the State.

He said public/private partnership in development of infrastructure should be encouraged to accelerate pace of development.

He appreciated State initiatives in promoting floriculture and horticulture.

Ahluwalia said road development was necessary for accelerating economic activities and providing health cover to the people.

He said that the Planning Commission is working on the mid-term appraisal of Eleventh Plan and would be shortly holding discussions at regional levels.

He said the State Government should not only flag areas of concern, but also point out initiatives which can improve productivity of the Plan during the remaining period.

Lapang briefed the Commission on the initiatives and programmes aimed at improving the socio-economic development of the State.

He said there has been substantial improvement in the social sector indices and pointed out that health and education has shown remarkable increase.

He also briefed the Commission on efforts being made to improve the road network in the State and initiatives taken in the health sector in partnership with the private sector.

He said transport would get top priority in the plan for the current year. Social services and energy would also get more than 20 per cent of budget outlay.

Anti-uranium mining lobby sticks to stand

Posted by Sinlung

RAJU DAS
SHILLONG, Aug 27 – After the Meghalaya Cabinet gave its approval to lease 422 hectares of land in West Khasi Hills to Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), NGOs in favour and against Uranium mining in the State have once again stuck to their respective positions on the issue.

Over 19 pro-Uranium mining NGOs from West Khasi Hills district and Ri-Bhoi district held a meeting here on Tuesday evening and hailed the government’s decision. On the other hand, the anti-Uranium mining lobby spearheaded by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) also met and discussed the issue with the Hill State Peoples’ Democratic Party (HSPDP) and said it would oppose any move of the government to start mining of Uranium in Meghalaya.

The pro-mining groups during its meeting constituted an ad-hoc committee dubbed the West Khasi Hills Confederation of Associations for Uranium Mining (WKHCAUM) to take the Uranium mining project proposal ahead.

The committee yesterday elected Wonder Myrthong as chairman, TS Shangrit as secretary and H Hahshah as treasurer of WKHCAUM. The meeting was convened by former Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, Chief Executive Member, Bleophas B Syiem and former Congress Member of District Council, JTS Thongni. The group would meet again on August 31.

Myrthong while supporting the government’s move hoped that the government would not succumb to pressure this time and go ahead with the developmental project in the district.

KSU, on the other hand termed the government’s decision to lease out land to the UCIL as a ploy to start Uranium mining in the State and said it would oppose the move.

HSPDP president and former Home Minister Hopingstone Lyngdoh said his party would oppose Uranium mining as he feared health hazard from such mining. West Khasi Hills district has been a stronghold of HSPDP for quite some time now.

KSU president Samuel Jyrwa said that the developmental activity of the UCIL was just an eyewash to start mining and people should be aware of the government’s move.

India, Bangladesh to develop border infrastructure

Posted by Sinlung

Agartala, Aug 27 (IANS) New Delhi and Dhaka would develop infrastructure along the border and simplify trade barriers to boost business between Bangladesh and northeast India, officials said here Thursday.
The two neighbours would upgrade existing infrastructural facilities of 27 Land Customs Stations (LCS) in four northeastern states of Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram - which share a 1,879-km border with Bangladesh.
Assistant commissioner of Customs S.K. Roy told IANS: “Improvement of infrastructural facilities of 27 LCS along Indo-Bangla border is very essential to boost trade, business and numerous economic activities between Bangladesh and northeast India.”
The fifth commissioner level co-ordination meeting of India-Bangladesh customs officials was held here Tuesday to review and take urgent steps to expand infrastructural facilities along the border.
The six-member Indian delegation was led by S.R. Baruah, custom commissioner in-charge of northeast region, while Mohammad Enayet Hossain, customs and excise commissioner of Dhaka headed the seven-member Bangladesh team.
“Both the sides have agreed to remove the local problems hampering the full-swing of the bilateral trade between northeast India and Bangladesh,” Baruah told reporters.
“We have sorted out many obstacles, agreed to develop infrastructure and some of the problems would be resolved in the commissioner level meeting in Dhaka in February next year.”
The existing border trade problems include delayed clearance of perishable exports goods, entry of trucks into either side of the border, lack of facilities for parking of trucks and loading and unloading arrangements and pre-shipment inspection.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has identified seven check posts along the border in West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura for setting up Integrated Check Posts (ICPs).
“Under the ICP scheme, infrastructure and communication facilities will be developed at these check posts to boost trade between the two countries,” a central government official said.
Bangladeshi manufacturers started to export bricks to northeast India from last week, a new item on the export basket. Initially Bangladesh will export 400 million bricks worth Bangladeshi Taka 2.8 billion to Tripura.
“To boost the brick trade, the Indian government has removed the 2.5 percent central custom duty from this month while the Tripura government reduced the value-added tax (VAT) to 4 percent from 12.5 percent,” said Tripura Commerce and Industry Minister Jitendra Chowdhury.
After flagging off the first consignment of bricks from Bangladesh to northeastern India, Bangladesh Commerce Minister Colonel (retired) Faruk Khan said: “We have decided to increase trade and business with the northeastern region to reduce Bangladesh’s trade gap with India.”
“Bangladesh planning commission would soon approve the Taka 116 crore ($16.8 million) project to develop the road and other border infrastructure along Akhaurah land port with India’s Tripura state,” Khan told reporters at Akhaurah, 5 km west of Tripura capital Agartala.
“There is a big opportunity for Bangladesh to tap the trans-shipment business between India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal,” said India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) president Abdul Matlub Ahmad, who led a team here.
Ahmed told newsmen : “A recent study shows that Bangladesh may gain up to 1.2 billon US dollars or over 8,400 crore Taka through this logistical support.”
“We are targeting exports worth $1 billion to northeast India by 2011 to close the trade gap with New Delhi,” he added.

Meghalaya flayed for pre-judging NHRC’s impending order on custodial death

Posted by Sinlung

New Delhi: Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) today asked the National Human Rights Commission of India (http://www.achrweb.org/ncpt/Kharsati2009-02.pdf) to direct the State Government of Meghalaya to pay an interim compensation of Rs 10 lakhs for the custodial death of 17-year-old Sngewlem Kharsati and start necessary criminal proceedings against the accused police personnel including their immediate arrest and prosecution.

In the evening of 9 May 2009, Sngewlem Kharsati, son of Smt. Bliss Kharsati of Puriang village in the East Khasi Hills district was picked up for alleged extortion and was beaten to death inside the lock-up of Mawryngkneng Police Outpost in the East Khasi Hills district.

On 11 May 2009, Asian Centre for Human Rights filed a complaint (http://www.achrweb.org/ncpt/Kharsati2009-01.pdf) with the National Human Rights Commission after the relatives provided ACHR a copy of the First Information Report submitted to the police. The NHRC registered ACHR’s complaint and instructed its Director General of Investigation to conduct the inquiry (http://www.nhrc.nic.in/display.asp?fno=10/15/2/09-10-AD).

The State government of Meghalaya ordered a magisterial inquiry headed by Additional District Magistrate Tableland Lyngwa. The magisterial inquiry completed by 31 July 2009 found a number of police personnel guilty for the death of minor Shri Sngewlem Kharsati. The inquiry commission report was submitted to the government and the NHRC on 5 August 2009.

However, before the NHRC could take any decision, on 21 August 2009, the State government of Meghalaya announced Rs 2 lakhs compensation to the next of kin of Sngewlem Kharsati and departmental actions against the accused police personnel.

“This is nothing but a desperate attempt of the Meghalaya government to pre-empt, prejudice and pre-judge the impending order of the NHRC.” – stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of Asian Centre for Human Rights.

“While no amount of money can compensate the loss of a human life, it is essential that compensation and criminal action commensurate with the gravity of the crime i.e. murder of a 17 year old boy.” - further added Mr Chakma.

Meghalaya Cong leader gets extortion threat

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 27 (PTI) Meghalaya Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Deborah Marak has received an threatening call demanding Rs 20 lakh, police said today.

Marak received the extortion call on her mobile phone last night demanding that the money be paid to the caller, failing which he would kidnap her children.

The caller identified himself as a member of a terrorist group from Guwahati, Marak told reporters.

Marak, who is also Meghalaya Congress Committee working president, said she did not take the call initially as she could not identify the number. However, as the man kept on calling, she called back.

She said the caller did not say where the money was to be paid. When she tried to contact him again, the caller's phone was switched off.

Meghalaya govt sets up scribes' welfare fund

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 26 : The Meghalaya Government today constituted the Journalist Welfare Fund which is seen as a welcome step to alleviate the life of journalists in the State.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma announced this, today, after the cabinet meeting.

He said that the modalities are being worked out before its final notification.

The fund envisages a one time ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 lakh to the next of kin of a deceased working journalist.

Furthermore, there will also be a one time grant of up to Rs 50,000 to a working journalist on account of disability in the line of duty.

Also, during illness, a journalist can avail a one time grant of up to Rs 50,000.Besides these, a working journalist can also avail of a one time grant of up to Rs 20,000 in case of sudden ailment.

The above financial assistance can be availed by working journalists who have completed certain amount of years in service and the respective amounts are the ceiling limit.

Dr Sangma also informed that the government has constituted a committee to administer the fund to be headed by the Commissioner and Secretary, IPR of the State government.

Body in grave, kidnappers walk away with ransom

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong/Nagaon, Aug. 26 : A gang of criminals abducted the 30-year-old son of an Assam businessman, killed him and dumped the body in Byrnihat in Meghalaya’s Ri Bhoi district and then calmly collected Rs 8 lakh ransom from the family with a promise to release him “very soon”.

The cold-blooded murder of Amit Agarwal came to light today after Meghalaya police arrested four persons, including gang leader Ranjan Biswas, from Assam.

The four were picked up from different places of the state since Saturday.

While Ranjan was picked up from Mangaldoi on Saturday, the other three, Bapon Biswas, Chaitanya Biswas and Ananda Biswas, were apprehended from Sunduwa village in Morigaon last night.

Ranjan, too, hails from Sunduwa but had fled to Morigaon after committing the crime.

Amit was abducted last Saturday while he was returning to Guwahati from Byrnihat on his motorcycle.

The four had waylaid Amit took him to a desolate area and hacked him to death.

Amit’s father had lodged a missing person report at the Byrinihat outpost that very night.

The police recovered the bike the following day from a jungle.

That day, the kidnappers also contacted the family, based in Guwahati’s Beltola, and asked for Rs 10 lakh for Amit’s release.

They later scaled down the amount to Rs 8 lakh.

On the night of July 25, without the knowledge of the police, Amit’s relatives handed over the money to the gang leader and it was agreed that Amit will be released somewhere along the Assam-Meghalaya border “very soon”.

“The family had acted on their own and handed over the money to Ranjan, even though by that time Amit was already dead,” a Meghalaya police official investigating the case said.

The body was recovered from a jungle in Byrinihat this evening.

All the four arrested worked in Byrnihat, around 30km from Guwahati, as daily wage earners.

Amit’s father owns a stone quarry in Byrnihat and the young man used to visit the quarry regularly on business purposes.

Morigaon police acted on a request by Meghalaya police who had zeroed in on the four as the kidnappers after eyewitnesses reported about their “suspicious activities” on the day of the abduction.

Morigaon superintendent of police Aravinda Kalita said all the four have confessed to their involvement in the kidnapping and the subsequent killing.

“They narrated how they planned the kidnapping and how it was executed. They also confessed to having killed the youth soon after they kidnapped him and then burying the body in a jungle,” Kalita said.

He said all four have criminal background and were involved robbery and theft.

Incidentally, the four had initially planned to kidnap a child for ransom but changed their mind later.

Meghalaya to ask for more funds

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug. 26 : Meghalaya will seek a plan allocation of Rs 2,500 crore from the Planning Commission for development activities in the 2009-10 fiscal.

A delegation, led by chief minister D.D. Lapang and comprising deputy chief minister Mukul Sangma, who is in charge of planning, chief secretary Ranjan Chatterjee and other senior government officials, left for New Delhi today to discuss the plan allocation with the Planning Commission.

The meeting will take place on Thursday.

The plan size for Meghalaya last year was Rs 1,500 crore and the state government hopes that the Planning Commission will grant another Rs 1,000 crore this time to take up more development projects in the state.

Chief secretary Ranjan Chatterjee said the main thrust areas would be power sector and roads. At present, Meghalaya is facing a shortage of power and at least Rs 447 crore are required to take up various power projects in the state to overcome the crisis.

Though the demand for power is around 610MW, the availability from all sources is around 290MW during the monsoons and 175MW during the lean season.

The government is also giving equal priority to improvement of roads since most of the city roads are in bad shape after the rains.

The chief secretary said more funds were required to repair existing roads and construct new ones. Other focus areas include education, development of the border area, agriculture and community and rural development.

“We hope the Planning Commission will sanction Rs 2,500 crore to take up development projects so that the administration will get closer to the people,” Chatterjee said.

Meghalaya to submit Rupees 2,500 crore proposal to plan panel

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 24 : Chief Minister DD Lapang will visit New Delhi on August 27 to hold a meeting with the Planning Commission to discuss the annual plan size for Meghalaya.

The state would submit a proposal of Rs 2,500, which is Rs 500 crore more than the plan size for 2009-2010.

Several ministers, including Chairman of Meghalaya State Planning Board Dr Donkupar Roy and top-notch government officials, would accompany the chief minister to New Delhi and urge the Planning Commission to approve the state’s proposed plan allocation.

Last year, the Planning Commission had fixed the annual plan outlay for Meghalaya for 2008-09 at Rs 1500 crore, up from Rs 1120 crore in 2007-08.

''In the past, the Planning Commission had earmarked less amount than what the state had projected as the annual plan for 2009-2010,'' official sources said on Sunday.

Sources said the Planning Commission was expected to finalise in the meeting the amount to be earmarked as the state's annual plan.

Usually, the Planning Commission approves the annual plan of various states between February and March. However, this year there was a delay in view of the 14th Lok Sabha elections that were completed in May.

Meghalaya government to pay rs 2 lakh compensation in custodial death case

Posted by Sinlung

The Meghalaya government has decided to pay a compensation of Rs two lakh to the next of kin of a custodial death victim.

A 17-year-old, Sngewlem Kharsati died in a police lock-up at Mawryngkneng police outpost custody after he was allegedly assaulted by the police officials, including the officer-in-charge, Manbha Rymbai on May 9, this year.

The government will pay a compensation of Rs two lakh to the next of kin of Kharsati based on the report of the magisterial enquiry into the custodial-death, Principal Secretary in-charge Home PBO Warjri told reporters here today.

Mr Warjri said the government has directed the state Director General of Police B Kezo to take disciplinary action against police officers in the murder of Mr Kharsati.

Earlier, the police department had suspended the officer-in-charge of Mawryngkneng police outpost, head constable and a constable.

The Police department had said the police personnel would be booked under Section 304 of the IPC if they are found guilty for the custodial death of Kharsati.

Meghalaya allays fear on pork

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug. 21 : The Meghalaya health and animal husbandry departments have initiated measures to allay fears of consuming pork after butchers decided to close shop in the wake of swine flu spreading in the state.

The Shillong’s Pork Butchers’ Association has taken a decision against selling pork from today following a decline in its consumption after the flu outbreak.

“The Centre as well as the state government has not banned consumption of pork as it has nothing to do with the spread of swine flu,” director of health services Dr K.H. Lakiang told reporters today.

He said there was nothing to be afraid about the consumption of pork cooked and served in hygienic conditions.

Dr D. Khonglah, the director of animal husbandry and veterinary, said instructions had already been issued today to all concerned that the H1N1 virus did not spread from pig meat.

“We want to convey to the butchers association and the people at large that there is no harm in consuming cooked pork as the H1N1 virus does not spread from eating pork,” Khonglah said.

Donlang Kharumnuid, the president of Pork Butchers’ Association, said it had decided not to sell pork from today after a decline in consumption had affected trade.

“Because of the spread of swine flu in the state, consumption of pork has come down and as such we are incurring huge losses,” he said.

The animal husbandry department had earlier issued instructions to owners of pig farms to strictly adhere to the hygiene norms.

On the other hand, Lakiang said so far only five positive swine flu cases were reported in the state and that the health department had taken a series of measures to tackle the pandemic.

Eight more samples sent from Meghalaya

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 20 : The samples of eight more persons who complained of swine flu-like symptoms in Meghalaya have been sent for tests.

Of these two 19-year-old students had come in contact with the first flu patient in the state, while another one is suspected of contracting the virus from a patient, Director of Health Services (DHS) K H Lakiang said today.

The five others include a father-son duo who had arrived here from Coimbatore via Mumbai on August 17, besides a Civil Hospital ward boy and two students who came from Pune and Bangalore.

Five positive cases of the deadly virus have been detected in the state so far. All of them were being treated at the Civil Hospital here.

Meanwhile, people with mild flu like symptoms were queuing up in designated hospitals to get themselves checked for the virus, Lakiang said.

Assam, Meghalaya form panel to resolve boundary dispute

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 18 (PTI) To resolve the vexed Meghalay-Assam border dispute, a special committee has been formed comprising officials and government representatives from the two states.

The decision to set up the special committee was taken during a meeting between chief ministers of both the states -- Tarun Gogoi and D D Lapang in New Delhi last evening.

Both sides agreed to continue the discussions to resolve the inter-state border related territorial issues. It was reiterated by both sides that as agreed earlier, the development works may be undertaken in the disputed areas after informing the other state, Lapang said in a statement from New Delhi.

The special committee will be headed by Assam Health Minster Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya PWD Minister Prestone Tyngsong.

Over 100 students quarantined in Meghalaya

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong , Aug 18: Altogether 117 students and 15 teachers of a premier school here were today quarantined while three more samples of suspected swine flu patients were sent for tests by Meghalaya health authorities.

Students of all the three sections of Class VII and 15 teachers of St Edmunds School were screened, prescribed medicines and isolated for 10 days, Director of Health Services K H Lakiang said.

The move was prompted after one of the students, Joshwa Lyngwa, tested positive yesterday.

Doctor, nurses among swine-flu suspects in Meghalaya

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 18 (PTI) A doctor working in New Delhi and two nurses of Shillong Civil Hospital here were among the five persons suspeted of having swine flu-like symptoms and their throat swab samples were today sent for H1N1 tests.

All the five have been kept in isolation and necessary treatment is being given, state's Director of Health Services K H Lakiang said.

Dr Natasha Sangma, who had recently returned from New Delhi, and two nurses of Shillong Civil Hospital who had come in contact with the two H1N1 patients admitted at the hospital, have been admitted with flu-like symptoms.

A 26-year-old youth, who returned from Bangalore and a girl, who had come from Vellore, also showed suspected flu-like symptoms.

"We are screening people having travel history to places where the flu is prevalent. We have sent the samples today to the laboratory at Dibrugarh in Assam," Lakiang said.

NGOs halt illegal mining in Garo Hills

Posted by Sinlung

TURA, Aug 18 – It happened as a typical story from a book in which a group of people undertake a special work only to later find another group reverse their work. The only difference was that this was reality and the second group’s intentions were good.

Angry over the ongoing illegal mining in the highly sensitive forest land of Siju area in South Garo Hills, students and NGOs including the Garo Students’ Union along with the Chitmang Hills Anti-Mining Forum took over a stretch of road that had been cleared for movement of trucks to the mining site. In its place the volunteers planted new tree saplings.

The land through which the road runs had been illegally denuded of its forest cover in Halwa Atong Aking region for the purpose to shift the precious limestone and coal reserves in the area. The mining area is bang on the border of the Balpakram National Park which is protected by a large area of forests thriving with wildlife.

Since repeated protests against mining failed to deter the miners, who belong to several big companies having nexus with politicians, the NGOs led by a strong contingent of almost a hundred student volunteers took over the area and began a mass tree plantation all along the 1.5 km road that had been cut through a standing forest.

When the first trucks of the day rolled in they were greeted by angry volunteers and a road that had been freshly planted with tree saplings.

There has been extensive protests throughout the South Garo Hills district over proposal to undertake coal and limestone mining in the area where the national park and the famous Siju caves are located. NGOs had raised a banner of revolt after it was revealed that powerful mining companies in nexus with politicians were attempting to extract the minerals by stripping bare the entire forest area of the region.

The NGOs also got a commitment taken from the headman of Halwa Atong Aking to ensure no permit is given for mining in the area. The anti- mining coalition is maintaining a constant vigil to ensure that no fresh moves to start road construction are made.

The anti-mining coalition has petitioned the Ministry of Environment and Forests Regional office in Shillong for violation of the Forest Conservation Act. Similarly, a complaint has also been filed with the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council for prosecuting the headmen of Gongrot and Halwa Atong Akings for felling of standing forest, that too with malafide intent of illegal mining.

The anti-mining coalition has declared a fight to put an end to all illegal attempts on the ground as well as through all other means at its disposal. It condemned the State Government for failing to play its regulatory role both with regard to mining regulations as well as environmental ones.

The State of Meghalaya is being ravaged by illegal private mining for coal and limestone facilitated by the State Government completely abdicating its role in regulating mining, informed a member of the anti-mining forum in South Garo Hills.

Flu curbs on Shillong pupils, staff

Posted by Sinlung

Student tests positive

Shillong, Aug. 18 : The Meghalaya health department has asked the teachers and classmates of a swine flu patient not to attend school for 10 days.

These include 15 teachers and 117 students of Class VII, A, B and C divisions, at St Edmund’s School here.

The move comes after Josuha Lyngdoh, a Class VII student of the school, tested positive for H1N1 virus on Saturday. He is one among the five persons who have tested positive for swine flu in the state.

Director of health services K.H. Lakiang told reporters here that 117 students studying in A, B and C divisions of Class VII and 15 teachers were given medicines today and had been requested not to attend school for 10 days.

“We want to make sure that the students and teachers who got associated with Lyngdoh are healthy and free from any symptoms of swine flu. Hence we screened all of them,” he added.

Lyngdoh got the H1N1 virus from his friend and football player Salwit Tongper, 17, who tested positive on August 11. Tongper, the first positive case of swine flu in the state, is now normal and will be released from Shillong Civil Hospital soon, Lakiang said.

The others, who tested positive for swine flu, are Mariabiang Latang, who is undergoing treatment at Sports Authority of India Hostel in Polo, Dolsius Syiemlieh, a ward attendant of Shillong Civil Hospital, and R. Lyngdoh, a student who returned from Pune.

Lakiang said so far 16 samples, including that of Speaker Charles Pyngrope and his wife, had been sent to the National Institute for Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Calcutta. Of these, only five have tested positive so far, he added.

The swab samples of Josuha’s sister, Grata, 10, and brother, Jason, 3-and-a-half, were taken and sent to Calcutta for testing today. Lakiang said this was necessary as Josuha was undergoing treatment at his residence.

The health official said there was no harm in families treating patients at home, provided they followed the guidelines strictly.

Observers, video man poll booths

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug. 18 : Round-the-clock video surveillance and deployment of micro-observers in all the 25 polling booths of Laitumkhrah will ensure a free and fair bypoll tomorrow.

The byelection is crucial for the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) as its tally will increase to 27 from the present 26 in a House of 60.

Chief electoral officer P. Naik today said since it was a byelection, enough security personnel were at the disposal of the election department.

“Moreover, we have enough cameras to be placed in all the 25 polling booths to record the proceedings till the end of the elections and the micro-observers will also be present,” he said.

As the Laitumkhrah seat is precious for both the Congress and the UDP, the election department does not want to see any booth capturing or other malpractice during polling.

“We want to ensure that the byelection takes place smoothly without any hindrance,” Naik said.

After D.D. Lapang became chief minister in May, the Congress legislators close to him wanted to see that party candidate Ampareen Lyngdoh won the byelection.

The UDP is trying hard to retain the seat after its member Ampareen Lyngdoh switched over her allegiance to the Congress.

During the campaign, UDP candidate Malcolm Tariang and others had termed the change of stand of Ampareen as betrayal of the trust of the people of Laitumkhrah.

Besides Tariang and Ampareen, others in the fray include Stephen Nongbet (BJP), Romeo Phira Rani (HSPDP) and Independents Andrew Aibok Jyrwa and George Garry Nongkhlaw.

There are a total of 14,912 voters (6,879 male and 8,033 female) in Laitumkhrah. There are also 19 postal votes.

After D.D. Lapang became chief minister in May, the Congress legislators close to him wanted to see that party candidate Ampareen Lyngdoh won the byelection. However, there is already a divided opinion among the Congress MLAs on the manner in which Lapang had neglected the senior legislators while choosing his team of ministers.

There are also reports that some senior Congress legislators are not happy with the induction of Ampareen in the cabinet as she is no longer a legislator.

According to them, Lapang had ignored seniority and inducted a newcomer and non-legislator in the ministry. The byelection was necessitated in Laitumkhrah after Ampareen, who got elected as a UDP candidate, resigned as MLA on March 31 when there was a move on the part of the Congress to topple the NCP-UDP-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance government.

After the formation of the Congress-led MUA government, Ampareen was inducted into the ministry and will be contesting the election on a Congress ticket.

Rains, bandh fail to deter I-Day spirit in Meghalaya

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 15 Persistent downpour and a boycott call given by a rebel group failed to deter the Independence Day spirit in Meghalaya as people came out in large numbers to celebrate the 63rd Independence Day.

Chief Minister D D Lapang unfurled the Tricolour at the Central function in Polo Grounds here in the presence of a host of government officials, defence personnel and general public.

Reaffirming the governments commitment to the principles of liberty, equality, secularism and social justice, Lapang said peace and stability are essential pre-requisites for achieving development goals.

Referring to instances when people 'took law into their own hand and caused destruction to life and public property', Lapang said there is no issue that does not lend itself to dialogue and reconciliation.

Terrorism, he said, has emerged as a global problem, posing a threat to peace and security.

Red tape seals hospital’s fate

Posted by Sinlung

The new building of Shillong Civil Hospital (below) and patients crowd the corridor in the old building. Pictures by Eastern Projections

Shillong, Aug. 15 : Scores of patients are forced to languish in the corridors of the overcrowded Shillong Civil Hospital everyday though a new 200-bed building stands ready in the same compound.

Thanks to red tape, despite the new building being completed in 2006, it has not been handed over to the hospital for use. At least 50 patients are forced to sleep in the corridor of the old hospital everyday, a relative complained.

The staff said they were helpless since the government had not officially handed over the 200-bed building to accommodate patients.

It was in March 2001 that the state government approved the construction of a separate 200-bed hospital building in the same complex.

The building was constructed and water supply installed at a total cost of Rs 3.60 crore, funded by the state government.

The state directorate of health services bought equipment worth Rs 59.26 lakh using its discretionary funds, which the government did not bother to reimburse.

In 2005, when the building was still under construction, the directorate sent a proposal to the government to appoint staff for the hospital — the approval for which is still pending. Two years later, in August 2007, the government agreed to recruit staff for the entire hospital — old and new.

Armed with the government’s nod for recruitment, a fresh proposal was submitted by director of health services, K.H. Lakiang.

The proposal is still lying with the government.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in a recent report, stated that the hospital was being forced to admit at least 20-25 patients everyday beyond its capacity though the 200-bed building was lying unutilised yards away.

The CAG report blamed both Lakiang and the Meghalaya government for failing to take decisions regarding recruitment on time.

“This not only shows the apathy of the department in properly utilising its assets, but also renders the expenditure of Rs 3.6 crore idle.”

Seven bombs found along Assam-Meghalaya border

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 15 Just a day before the Independence Day, police today recovered seven powerful bombs from a forest along the Assam-Meghalaya border suspected to have been hidden by ULFA militants for disrupting celebrations.

The bombs along with detonators were found from the forest in Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi district, an Assam police officer said.

Police suspect the explosives were kept by the militants for disrupting tomorrow's celebrations.

Meghalaya e-governance seminar, a poor show

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong | August 13 : The one-day leadership meeting on e-governance organized by the National Institute for Smart Governance (NISG) and the department of Information Technology witnessed the presence of barely half a dozen members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) in Shillong on Tuesday.
Even though, the target of the meeting is to imbibe the state ministers and policy makers with the basics of e-governance, yet the so-called computer and techno-savvy ministers and legislators were not at the meeting which was held at the Yojna Bhavan hall located in the Meghalaya secretariat premises.
Interestingly, two MLAs above the age of 80, H.S Lyngdoh and F.Lyngdoh and two other first time legislators were the only ones seen during the fist session of the meet.
The leadership meet organised by the National Institute of Smart Governance (NISG) and the department of Information Technology (IT) is part o the government of India's endeavour to ensure that the remotest of village felt the pulse of the government.
Various governments from the past and the present in the state have strongly advocated to this idea only to lose out when the most important capacity building witnessed barely six legislators attending the meet. The meet that was inaugurated by the Meghalaya Minister of IT, A.T Mondal witnessed experts from NISG, IIMs giving the lectures at the meet represented by bureaucrats only.

Meghalaya issues travel advisory, wants flu testing centre

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 13 Meghalaya Government today issued an advisory asking people to avoid travelling to swine-flu affected places and said it would be beneficial if a testing centre was set up in North East region.

The announcement came a day after a 17-year-old footballer tested positive for H1N1 virus, making him the first swine flu patient in the state.

"People should avoid travelling, particularly to swine-flu hit places, unless it is of urgent nature. The fast spreading of the virus is mainly due to mobility of people. As a preventive measure, people should skip avoidable travelling and prevent themselves from coming in contact with affected persons," Health Minister Mukul Sangma told reporters here.

The minister, however, asked people not to panic.

"I am communicating with health ministers of the North East to exert pressure on the Centre to set up a testing centre in one of the health institutions of the region, so that samples of the suspected flu patients could be tested without sending them as far as Kolkata."

He said such a diagnostic centre could help in checking the spread of the virus in the region.

Footballer, Salwit Tongper, had returned from the UK on August 3 and was admitted to Shillong Civil hospital on August 8.

A report from National Institute for Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata confirmed him to be H1N1 positive, yesterday.

Job hope hinges on power plant

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug. 13 : The Meghalaya deputy chief minister in-charge, power, Mukul Sangma, today said the proposed 500MW thermal power project in East Garo Hills to be executed by Neepco will provide employment opportunities to at least 750 people in the state.

Addressing a news conference, Sangma said it was the erstwhile Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government which had signed a MoU with Neepco to start the thermal power project at Narenggre in East Garo Hills. But the NCP-UDP-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance government had shelved the project when it came to power, he added.

“Now we want to revive the project so that we can tide over the power crisis in Meghalaya,” Sangma said.

At present, Meghalaya is heavily dependent on hydel power projects, which are inadequate to meet the requirements of the state. Other sources for generating the electricity are yet to be tapped.

Though Meghalaya has hydro-power potential of around 3,000MW, the present power generation of the state is only 175MW, far below the current demand of over 600MW.

Considering the over-dependence on hydro electricity, the government had decided to exploit the state’s potential in thermal power, Sangma said.

The deputy chief minister met the Union power minister recently in Delhi and got an assurance that the Centre was keen to start a thermal power project in East Garo Hills at the earliest.

Garo Hills is the worst affected area because of irregular power supply. If completed within three-and-a-half years, the thermal power project would help tide over the power crisis in the Garo Hills region.

Sangma admitted that though Meghalaya has abundant coal reserves, the export of the mineral to Bangladesh has not provided any financial help to the state.

“But if we can tap the coal reserve in West Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills to generate electricity, it would be of great help to the state,” he said.

Quakes shake NE states

Posted by Sinlung

SHILLONG: An earthquake of moderate intensity shook Meghalaya's capital and some parts of North Eastern states today.

The tremor, measuring a magnitude of 5.6 on the Richter scale, occurred at 0314 hours with its epicentre at latitude 24.4 degrees north and longitude 94.7 east in Myanmar-India border region of Manipur about 300 km from the Central Seismological Observatory (CSO) at Upper Shillong, CSO officials told UNI here.

According to CSO officials, the earthquake was felt across the North Eastern states.

However, there was no report of loss of life and property from anywhere, the officials added.

Meghalaya lies in zone five of the seismic map, making the State highly susceptible to earthquakes.

Meghalaya confirms swine flu case, minister's niece flees quarantine zone

Posted by Sinlung

Health officials in Meghalaya confirmed a 17-year-old footballer as a victim of the swine flu virus on Tuesday evening. His condition, however, was said to be stable.

"The teenager, Salwit Tongper from Dawki (near the Indo-Bangladesh border), had gone to the UK to play soccer. He arrived from England on August 3 and was admitted to a city hospital on August 8 on suspicion of contracting the H1N1 virus," Meghalaya Director of Health Services KH Lakiang told HT from Shillong.

The nasal and throat swab samples of the patient was sent to the National Institute for Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), Kolkata, for further examination on the same day and the case was tested positive on Tuesday.

Lakiang, however, said Tongper's condition was stable and he was responding well to medication.
"We have sufficient stock of Tamiflu, and there's no reason to panic," he said, adding he held a meeting of all district medical officers towards offsetting an outbreak of swine flu.

Hours before the confirmation came, a hospital drama involving the niece of Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Mukul Sangma was played out in the Assam capital.
Jena Sangma, daughter of ex-Meghalaya minister Zenith Sangma, "escaped" from the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital on Monday afternoon after landing from Pune with a "suspicious" cough.

Jena, in her late 20s, and her father drove to the hospital in Guwahati before leaving for hometown Tura. However, Jena was quarantined in a hospital ward for 10 hours without medication.
"There wasn't a single nurse, and I wasn't even allowed to go to the toilet," she said.

Officials in the hospital's Rapid Reaction Team later confirmed Jena had slipped out of the hospital.

17-year-old boy tests positive for H1N1 in Meghalaya

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong: A 17-year-old boy today tested positive for H1N1 virus, marking the first swine flu case in Meghalaya.

Official sources said the boy had returned from UK on August 3 and was admitted to Shillong Civil hospital on August 8 as he was suffering from cough and cold.

A report from National Institute for Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata confirmed the boy was H1N1 positive, the sources said.

Meghalaya CM gets new adviser

Posted by Sinlung

SHILLONG: Meghalaya chief minister D D Lapang will now get suggestions on vital issues from Anish Gandhi, adviser to the National Institute of Rural Development and the Union ministries of panchayati raj and sports and youth affairs.

A member of the Indian Youth Congress and part of the "Rahul brigade", Gandhi (34) is already in Shillong on a familiarization trip.

A Bachelor of engineering (telecommunications), Gandhi also holds diplomas in consumer law, journalism and mass communication. He holds a rank equivalent to that of secretary in the Union government. "Gandhi was instrumental in the introduction of rural and terrestrial satellite communication solution in various parts of the North-East and village public telephone across the country," an official said.

Former Dy CM charged with poll code violation

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 10 Former Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister and President of the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) H S Lyngdoh has been charged with violating the election model code of conduct by using a government vehicle during campaign for the August 18 by-poll to the Laitumkhrah constituency.

Official sources said an election team spotted Lyngdoh using an official vehicle while campaigning for his party candidate R P Rani on Friday last.

HSPDP is presently a partner of the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government and Lyngdoh is the Chairman of state Administrative Reforms Commission.

The state election department, which had videographed the entire campaign, filed a case against Lyngdoh with the police under section 188 IPC for violating the election code of conduct.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Prashant Naik said his office will go through the official report before apprising the Election Commission.

The by-election to Laitumkhrah was necessitated after former United Democratic Party (UDP) MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh quit from the assembly to join Congress.

Meghalaya govt asks people not panic over swine flu

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 8 : Meghalaya government today said it has taken precautionary measures against H1N1 infection and asked people not to panic over swine flu as the lone woman showing symptoms of the influenza tested negative.

Director of Health Services Dr K H Lakiang said, "People should not panic as government has taken precautionary measures against swine flu virus H1N1."

Health department has got 2000 Tamiflu capsules from Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry to meet any emergency in the state, he said.

Sensitisation of medical officers and some nursing staff of Shillong Civil Hospital and other health centres in all the district headquarters was complete, the health official said.

Control rooms set up to fight recent meningitis outbreak would also be used for dealing with swine flu cases, Lakiang said.

BDR violates status quo in Meghalaya

Posted by Sinlung

Dawki (Meghalaya), Aug 8 : In the fourth such violation of status quo in less than a month, Bangladeshi miscreants backed by BDR personnel obstructed Indian villagers from cultivating and confronted a BSF patrol in a disputed area near here this week.

Official sources said a BSF patrol was confronted at Pyrdiwah area on Thursday by BDR personnel and Bangladeshi villagers. The BSF was asked to return though both sides had agreed to maintain status quo during a flag meeting on July 20.

Even yesterday, some BDR personnel prevented Indian villagers from cultivating their land in Nongkhen and Amki.

The two incidents prompted a flag meeting yesterday but senior BDR officials reportedly skipped the meeting, the sources told a visiting PTI correspondent.

Last month, Bangladeshi villagers, backed by BDR, had made an attempt to stake claim over Pyrdiwah but later agreed to maintain status quo following protests by BSF.

Rock concert in aid of cancer care

Posted by Sinlung

Guwahati, Aug. 8 : Mumbai’s famous rock band Demonic Resurrection will perform in the city tomorrow in a concert organised by the Deepsikha Cancer Care Foundation, an NGO working in the field of cancer care.

Meghalaya Governor R.S. Mooshahary will attend the concert, Preetir Enajori, at Prajyoti ITA Cultural Centre at Machkhowa.

Mrinmoyee Baruah, a physician and the secretary of the NGO, today said the proceeds of the concert would help cancer patients in different ways.

She said apart from raising funds for the patients, the function aimed at entertaining cancer patients and their relatives.

“Cancer is a family experience, and relatives of patients are confronted with myriad problems from the time of the disease is diagnosed. Both patients and their relatives go through a kind of physical, mental and emotional trauma, which mere medical treatment cannot alleviate. Deepsikha’s creative endeavour of brining the cancer patients and their relatives to the tomorrow’s rock show will help them express stifled emotions. Most of the patients who will enjoy the show will be from the B. Borooah Cancer Institute,” Baruah said.

Baruah added that the NGO hoped that the show would be a big hit and Guwahatians and people from other parts of the region would respond positively to it.

She said the concert would be part of the NGO’s effort to raise funds to further its dream of setting up a hospital for terminally ill patients.

“Every member of Deepsikha tries their best to boost the morale of a terminally-ill patient and sits with them to know about their unfulfilled dreams and desires. And if possible, we try to fulfil the needs of such poor patients. Instead of adding years to their lives we try to add life to their years,” Baruah said.

Govt contention

The Assam government on Friday submitted its contention for appointing Shankar Barua as the director-general of police before the Central Administrative Tribunal here.

The tribunal will hear the case on August 27.

Team seeks Lapang nod for mining

Posted by Sinlung

- Govt keen, says NGO

Lapang

Shillong, Aug. 8 : A delegation of a pro-mining group met Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang today and urged him to give a no-objection certificate to uranium mining in West Khasi Hills.

After the meeting, Wonder Myrthong, the president of Langrin Warsan Lyngdoh Socio and Economic Development Organisation, told reporters that the government was keen to give a green signal to the Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) to start mining.

“The chief minister told us that the government was keen to exempt the UCIL from the purview of the Land Transfer Act to purchase land to carry out uranium mining,” Myrthong said.

According to the current Land Transfer Act, companies and individuals from outside the state are barred from purchasing land in Meghalaya.

Myrthong claimed the chief minister had sought two weeks’ time to examine the issue of exempting the UCIL from the purview of the act.

Allaying fears regarding harmful radiation, Myrthong said as there was a shortage of power, nuclear energy could be used to produce electricity.

In May last year, an anti-mining group from Langrin, the Langrin Youth Welfare Association, met Meghalaya Governor R.S. Mooshahary to stop uranium mining in West Khasi Hills.

The anti-uranium mining group had told the governor that the UCIL was trying to mislead the people through inducements to carry out uranium mining in the state.

The association said the corporation continued to mislead the people of West Khasi Hills through various inducements, including many development packages.

The Centre, through the UCIL, had offered a Rs 10,000-crore development package, besides job opportunities, to the locals.

The corporation also offered packages for the construction of roads, hospitals, and drinking water facilities.

The president of the youth association, B.S. Lyngdoh, said the Centre, instead of investing in the “destructive nuclear energy” should focus on harnessing hydel power in West Khasi Hills and particularly take up the pending Kynshi power project.

Commission to make proposals public

Posted by Sinlung

The Delimitation Commission, which met here to discuss Meghalaya's case on Wednesday, decided to convene a meeting of the commission with its associated members on February 2. The final report is likely to be applicable only for 2013 Assembly polls. The February 2 meeting will be attend by the five MLAs belonging to different political parties and two Lok Sabha members from the State -- Purno A Sangma and Union Minister P R Kyndiah.
After the meeting the Commission would make the proposals public for wider discussions in the state and to elicit suggestions. The Commission would then have meetings in the state to have public hearing after which the delimitation proposal would be finalised, sources said.
After the finalization, the same would be sent to President for his assent. But it's the Election Commission, which would implement the proposal after the Presidential assent, it added.
In case of Meghalaya, the elections are due in February next year for which the election process would start in about six months time and notification has to be issued before about three months to give time for campaign, the sources pointed out. Hence, it is highly unlikely that the delimitation would be applicable in 2008 polls, the sources said. "If everything goes well the delimitation would be applied in 2013 elections," it added.
The Commission has taken 2001 census as the base to delimit the constituencies. Through the process of delimitation of Assembly constituencies, some districts in Meghalaya are, on the basis of the population structure, likely to lose one or two constituencies as part of the process of re-adjustment. There would not be any change in case of the two Lok Sabha seats -- Shillong and Tura.
Status-quo would be maintained with the number of MeghalayaAssembly constituencies in Garo Hills (24) and Khasi-Jaintia Hills (36), but there are indications that some districts will have to forego one or two constituencies. There would be change in boundaries and each assembly constituency would be geographically contiguous, compact and within one district, the sources said.
In West Garo Hills, the number of seats would be reduced to 14 from the present 15, whereas one more seat would be added to South Garo Hills which has two Assembly seats at present. The seven seats in East Garo Hills will remain unchanged.
In East Khasi Hills, the number of seats will be reduced to 17 from the present 19. Ri Bhoi district, which has at present four seats, will get one more constituency. West Khasi Hills will also gain by one seat from the present six. All the seven constituencies of Jaintia Hills will remain the same though there will be modifications in the internal boundary.

Parties back NGOs in cop-ouster call

Posted by Sinlung

James Sangma

Shillong, Aug. 3: The Nationalist Congress Party today asked Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang to listen to the voice of the people and remove director-general of police Anil Pradhan, thereby giving a boost to the cause of the agitating non-governmental organisations.

The NGOs, under the banner of the Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy have been demanding the DGP’s ouster for the release of Congress politician Thomas Nongtdu who had allegedly funded the Shillong jailbreak that took place on May 31.

The support from the main opposition party in the state came barely a few hours before the start of the night road blockade called by the committee tonight.

The committee has also called a night “public curfew” on Thursday and Friday after the government refused to remove the DGP despite the findings of the administrative inquiry panel which stated that Pradhan had influenced subordinate police officials to release Nongtdu.

The NCP, in a statement issued here today, appealed to the chief minister to “acknowledge the voice of civil society on the removal of the DGP in order to carry out an impartial investigation into the jailbreak”.

According to James Sangma, the spokesman for the Meghalaya unit of NCP, the party is “very concerned” over the prevailing situation.

“We strongly urge the MUA government to respond to the demand of the committee and remove Pradhan”, Sangma said.

He said the DGP should be removed in order to ensure a free and fair judicial probe and in keeping with convention.

“We also condemn the cabinet decision to dismiss the administrative inquiry report prepared by principal secretary (home) into the Shillong jailbreak episode,” Sangma added.

Earlier, the Opposition BJP had also condemned the stand of the government in not willing to pay heed to the NGOs’ demand.

BJP organising secretary Dipayan Chakraborty said the party in a meeting held on August 1 expressed concern over the decision of the MUA government to arrest the leaders of the committee.

The party also condemned the decision of the government in this regard.

“We fail to understand the logic followed by the state government in taking such a revengeful decision and it appears that all the members of the cabinet wanted to murder democracy in Meghalaya,” Chakraborty said.

The BJP also wanted to know whether the Congress-led government thought that there would be no opposition to whatever happens in Meghalaya

“The party also fails to understand how the government follows double standards in the case of DGP Anil Pradhan while another Meghalaya police official, W.R. Marbaniang, was earlier removed soon after a murder took place at his residence,” Chakraborty said.

The BJP hoped that the government would withdraw its decision not to remove Pradhan. “Otherwise, a law and order problem will arise and the state government will be held responsible for this”.

Pradhan today applied for 60 days’ leave on medical grounds in an attempt to defuse the tension arising out of the agitation of the NGOs.

Earlier, soon after the road blockade began at 7pm, vehicles were off the road. The blockade affected normal flow of traffic.

Vehicle torched as agitation starts in Meghalaya

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 4 : A government vehicle was torched here this evening, the second in 48 hours, as 14 organisations began their two-day-night blockade demanding removal of DGP Anil Pradhan.

Meanwhile, the official vehicle of an executive engineer of PHE department, J Wanniang, was torched by unidentified miscreants at Mawlai here this evening. The vehicle was parked at the residential complex of Wanniang when petrol bombs were hurled at it, the police said.

Another government vehicle was set on fire using a petrol bomb in the city on Saturday night.

Heavy deployment of security personnel was made on the highways even as police intensified patrolling and surveillance to prevent any untoward incident in view of the blockade call.

Vehicles, including night buses and trucks, mostly kept off the road and commuters were not seen in the city after 8 pm.

NGOs start protests for removal of DGP, spurn talks offer

Posted by Sinlung

After the 14 NGOs under the Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy (SCAMOD) rejected Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang call for a talk, the Committee’s call for a night road blockade on Monday and Tuesday followed by public curfew is a means to pressure the state government to remove DGP Anil Pradhan.

The night road blockade has been called from 7 pm to 5 am on Monday and Tuesday. The Khasi Students Union (KSU), the main constituent of the SCAMOD, has spurned Lapang’s invitation for talks and reiterated that it would go ahead with the agitation till it’s demands were fulfilled.

The night road blockade and the public curfew that will follow will affect normal life in four districts, West, East Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi and Jaintia Hills districts.

The district administration has imposed section 144 of the CrPC and is on the lookout of the SCAMOD leaders. However, all the leaders of the 14 NGOs have gone underground.

SCAMOD is demanding the removal of Pradhan on the basis of the administrative report indicting him of releasing a Congress leader Thomas Nongtdu who allegedly financed the Shillong district jail break. The Committee had called off an agitation planned earlier after Lapang said that the administrative committee report would be discussed in the cabinet before Pradhan’s removal.

However, the cabinet which met last week felt that the administrative report-set up by the state government to probe the jail break and the release of Nongtdu by the police, was inconclusive and it would wait for the judicial inquiry headed by a retired high court judge before taking any action against Pradhan.

Bomb scare spurs safety cry

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 3 : The Meghalaya government today asked its officials to keep their vehicles in “safe custody” after unidentified criminals threw a petrol bomb into a vehicle belonging to the PWD in Shillong last night.

The incident happened barely 48 hours before the beginning of a road blockade and night curfew called by NGOs demanding the removal of DGP Anil Pradhan.

Pradhan said the police were investigating whether the arsonists were members of the NGOs that are protesting under the banner of the Steering Committee against Murder of Democracy.

While the NGOs have denied any role, police investigations are on.

The committee announced road blockades and night curfews starting tomorrow, demanding Pradhan’s removal for his role in releasing Congress politician Thomas Nongtdu, an accused in the Shillong jailbreak.

The NGOs had announced a night road blockade from 7pm tomorrow to 5am the next day and again on Tuesday from 7pm to 5am the next day. A night “public curfew” was imposed on Thursday from 7pm to 5am the next day and again from Friday 7pm to 5am the next day.

Pradhan told The Telegraph that security arrangements had been made to ensure the smooth flow of traffic on the national highways during the road blockade and the “public curfew”.

“An alert was issued to all the government departments and officials to take proper care of the vehicles allotted to them. If they cannot, they can deposit the vehicles in the government garage,” he added.

Meghalaya police have intensified vigil and provided reinforcements in the vulnerable areas of the city.

The DGP said the police would provide escorts to the vehicles plying on the national highways.

The police are hunting for the prominent leaders of the NGOs, especially the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi Jaintia Garo People (FKJGP) and Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO), many of whom have gone into hiding.

Chief minister D.D. Lapang, who also holds the home portfolio, yesterday appealed to the NGOs to call off the agitation and come for talks.

He said the government would explore all options to address their demands.

Langpih tension

Tension was also brewing in the disputed Langpih area on the Assam-Meghalaya border, with Khasi and Garo residents threatening to torch the houses of Nepali residents.

Lapang has sought the intervention of Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi to find a solution to the border dispute between the two states and his co-operation to maintain law order in the area.

According to the Khasi-Garo residents, Assam was encouraging the Nepalis to come and settle in Langpih so that the neighbouring state could claim the land.

Police trace possible uranium ore smuggling route

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 2 (PTI) Authorities have traced a possible route used for smuggling uranium ore from Meghalaya to Bangladesh via Assam after the arrest of five persons with some uranium ore-like substance in Assam's Dhubri district.

The five were arrested with 2.5 kg of suspected uranium from Hatsinghimari on Friday last and the substance has been sent for tests, Dhubri SP Partha Sarathi Mahanta told PTI over phone.

During interrogation of the arrested persons, it was revealed that the radioactive substance was being smuggled from Meghalaya and was meant to be sold across the international border, he said.

The recovery put the security forces on an alert in view of the fear that the porous Indo-Bangla border was being used by militants to smuggle uranium and other such substances, mainly found in Meghalaya.

Lapang asks agitating organisations to shun warpath

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 2 : Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang today appealed to the 14 organisations, who have called for a four-day blockade from Monday demanding ouster of the DirectorGeneral of Police, to withdraw their call.

The organisations, agitating under the banner of Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy, demanded DGP Anil Pradhan's removal holding the IPS official responsible for the release of a local Congress leader accused in the May 31 jailbreak.

"We do not want an agitation. The organisations are welcome to air their views and help in defusing the tension through discussion," Lapang said in an appeal to the 14-member forum of student and youth organisations.

The agitating groups alleged that at Pradhan's behest the Congress leader charged with sponsoring the May 31 jailbreak was released by police a day after he was arrested.

NGOs slam cabinet move

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 2 : The Steering Committee against Murder of Democracy, a conglomeration of several NGOs, today condemned the Meghalaya cabinet’s decision to reject its demand to remove state director-general of police Anil Pradhan.

The social organisations claim that the DGP was instrumental in the release of Congress politician Thomas Nongtdu who allegedly funded the Shillong jailbreak that took place on May 31.

The NGOs after a meeting held this afternoon said chief minister D.D. Lapang wanted to shield Pradhan who was indicted by the administrative inquiry report for his role in releasing Nongtdu, the accused in the jailbreak.

The NGOs also expressed disappointment over the government not accepting the inquiry report.

The administrative inquiry conducted by principal secretary (home) Barkos Warjri had blamed the DGP for influencing the subordinate police officials in releasing Nongtdu within 48 hours of his arrest on June 3.

However, after yesterday’s cabinet meeting, Lapang termed the administrative inquiry report as inconclusive and decided to wait for the outcome of the judicial inquiry into the jailbreak, recently constituted by the government.

However, Samuel Jyrwa, the spokesman for the committee told reporters after the meeting that the intention of the cabinet in rejecting their demand to remove Pradhan was to protect the “tainted” police official.

“We expected the cabinet to act on the findings of the administrative report and even the chief minister had assured us last Sunday that he would take necessary steps,” Jyrwa said.

Pay hike irks poll panel

Posted by Sinlung

Shillong, Aug 2 : The declaration of a hike in minimum wages and the nod to create a new department a fortnight after the poll panel issued notification for the Laitumkhrah byelection, scheduled for August 18, has landed the Meghalaya government in trouble.

After the cabinet meeting at chief minister D.D. Lapang’s residence yesterday morning, deputy chief minister Mukul Sangma announced the enhancement of minimum wages for the three categories of labour in the state and Lapang said the cabinet had given clearance to the creation of a water resource department.

Ampareen Lyngdoh, the Congress candidate contesting the Laitumkhrah seat and a minister in the MUA government attended the meeting.

The Election Commission announced the byelection on July 16. With the announcement, the model code of conduct came into effect at once.

Chief electoral officer P. Naik said he had sent a letter to the government today, urging it either to keep in abeyance the decisions to enhance the minimum wages and create a new department or to get the Election Commission’s clearance.

Naik told this correspondent today that the decision to enhance the minimum wages was definitely a violation of the model code of conduct.

“I also feel that the cabinet nod to the creation of the new water resources department may also lead to invocation of the provisions under the model code of conduct,” he added.

The byelection was necessitated after Ampareen who contested on a UDP ticket in the 2008 Assembly elections, resigned as an MLA on March 31 this year and joined the Congress when it was trying to topple the NCP-UDP led government.

For this, she was assured a ministry. The promise was fulfilled when the MUA government came to power in May this year.

Naik said the department that recommended the implementation of enhancement of minimum wages should have sought the opinion of the election department before recommending it to the cabinet.

“I will have to check which department had given the nod for the creation of the water resource department at this juncture.”

After yesterday’s cabinet meeting, the deputy chief minister said the government had decided to enhance the rate of minimum daily wages for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled labour to Rs 100, 120 and Rs 140 respectively.

Report submitted: This evening, the empowered committee headed by principal secretary, finance, B.K. Dev Verma examined the percentage of pay hike to be implemented for government employees, submitted its report to Lapang.

An official source said the report had given more or less the same recommendations as that of the Fourth Pay Commission headed by former chief secretary K.K. Sinha. It submitted the report to the government at the end of last year.

Chief secretary Ranjan Chatterjee said the committee by and large agreed to the recommendations of the Fourth Pay Commission. If implemented, the pay hike will be applicable to 60,000 government employees and 20,000 government teachers.

Chatterjee said the finance department would meet soon to prepare a cabinet memorandum regarding the pay hike and later the matter will be discussed in the cabinet. Lapang and Sangma along with a few officials had stayed almost a week in Delhi to take up the issue of pay hike with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.