Jute fair inaugurated in Meghalaya

Shillong: Director of Commerce and Industries, Government of Meghalaya, Mr. D. K. Areng inaugurated the 5 day ‘Jute Fair’ today the 30th June 2010 at State Central Library. The event is being organised by the National Jute Board (NJB)of India under the aegis of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India with an aim to promote Indian Jute. The Fair comprises of display cum sale of lifestyle jute products by 26 entrepreneurs from different parts of the country showcasing their environment-friendly jute consumer products like handicrafts, dolls, fancy jute bags and many more.

Other dignitaries present at the inaugural function are Mr. A.K.Ghosh, Consultant, NJB, Mr. T. K. Saha, Market Promotion Officer, NJB and many others.

Speaking in the occasion, MR. D. K Areng highlighted the evolution of jute market and the value of jute products. He also stated the importance of jute fabric in which they are being used in various fields even road constructions, as manure to grow crops and many more. He further said that if these resources can be tapped it can benefit the growers, generate employment and avenues for setting up of small scale industries.

The Jute Fair will continue from the 30th June to the 5th of July 2010 from 11 AM to 7 PM.

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Umiam frees Meghalaya from power cuts

Rise in water level and share of electricity bring smiles to faces of residents


A view of Umiam lake

Shillong, Jul 1 : A rise in Umiam lake’s water level following rain and increase in Meghalaya’s share of power from the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation and National Hydroelectric Power Corporation projects have prompted the government to temporarily lift power cuts in the state from today.

The decision has come as a godsend to the residents of the state inconvenienced by power cuts for two times a day since February this year.

A power department official said considering the improvement in the water level of the lake, the state’s only source of hydropower, the government had decided to withdraw power cuts for the time being. An increase in Meghalaya’s share of power from various power grids routed by the central government is another reason that prompted the government take the decision. Though the state government has recently decided to lift load shedding during World Cup matches, power cuts were imposed during the rest of the day.

The water level of Umiam lake has increased by 10 feet following continuous rainfall for the past few days.

While the water level now is 3,192 feet, another 28 feet is required for the lake to be full to the brim.

An official of the power department said the decision to lift power cuts was on an experimental basis and a final decision would be taken after assessing the water level of Umiam in the coming days.

The state’s own generation of power at present is 185MW from Umiam hydel project and the central share which the state avails is 130MW.

The much-awaited 126MW Myntdu-Leshka hydel project in Jaintia Hills started in 2004 is yet to be commissioned. The commissioning of even the first unit (42MW) of Leshka project was delayed after frequent floods caused partial damage at the project site. The commissioning of the first unit of the project has been scheduled for December.

In the absence of rainfall, generating power becomes difficult. Though the demand for power in the state is over 600MW, only 315MW is available. Meghalaya on an average spends at least Rs 10 crore a month to purchase power from outside the state. Meghalaya has hydropower potential of nearly 3,000MW, but lack of proper planning and delay in time-bound execution of the project stand in the way of surplus power generation.

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Healthcare within easy reach

Rowell Lyngdoh flags off the ambulance service in West Garo Hills
Meghalaya deputy chief minister (in-charge of health) Rowell Lyngdoh formally launched the 108 Emergency Ambulance Services, also known as “Wheels of Hope”, at the Phulbari community health centre in West Garo Hills on June 12.

Lyngdoh launched the emergency ambulance service at a function on the premises of the health centre.

The new service will satisfy a long felt need of the people of remote Phulbari town under Dadenggre sub-division, who have been deprived of basic health facilities.

Earlier, the residents of the town had to depend on facilities available at the community health centre since no ambulances were available in the area to take the patients to Tura Civil Hospital.

Speaking at the function, local MLA A.T. Mondal and food and civil supplies minister Augustine Marak dwelt on the advantages of the newly launched ambulance services and their ability to handle emergencies as well as other cases related to police and fire hazards.

Lyngdoh asked the people to use the service, as it would benefit the people during an emergency.

He said the ambulance service, operational elsewhere in the state, have served people well.

The launch of the ambulance service, which is also an initiative of the Meghalaya government, he added, was a step forward in bringing health facilities closer to the people.

Home for jumbo

Lou Majaw performs in Shillong on World Music Day. Picture by Eastern Projections

Separated from the herd by floodwaters, a six-month-old elephant calf joined a group of nine orphaned elephant calves at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation near the Kaziranga National Park recently.

The calf, with inflammation in its left foreleg, was found on the banks of the Jia-Bhoroli river near Chariduar reserve forest in Sonitpur district.

“We rescued the calf and sent it to the rehabilitation centre,” a forest official at Kaziranga said.

Forest personnel first launched a search operation to track the herd so that the calf could be released.

However, they failed to locate the herd after searching continuously for two days.

“When we failed to find the herd, we had no option but to send the calf to wildlife rehabilitation centre near Kaziranga,” the official added.

A veterinarian at the rehabilitation centre said the calf was recovering well and being fed milk regularly.

Footnote

Shillong celebrated World Music Day with a concert at the Laban Sports Club on June 22.

Several music bands of the city performed at the concert with punk, jazz, blues, rock and roll besides other genres, satiating appetites of many a music buff that thronged the venue.

Guitarist-singer Lou Majaw, the brain behind the show, said he was happy that he could organise the concert and bring several musicians under one roof to celebrate music.

“We are making a little contribution to have the feel of music and this is an occasion to celebrate music,” he added.

For guitarist Rangdap Cooper Kharshiing, the occasion provided an opportunity to showcase his talent.

READ MORE - Healthcare within easy reach

Sangma eyes Bangla ties

P.A. Sangma and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the meeting in Dhaka on Sunday. (PTI
Shillong, June 30 : Former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma during his recent visit to Bangladesh stressed on a Look South policy, examining possible trade transactions with Bangladesh instead of the much-hyped Centre’s policy of Look East, which aims at business ties with Southeast Asian countries.

During his tour of the neighbouring country from June 18 to 25, he met Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and discussed how a Look South Policy could be more viable for the Northeast rather than the present Look East Policy.

Sangma, in a statement issued here today, said though the Centre’s policy is Look East, as far as the Northeast in general and Meghalaya in particular is concerned, emphasis should be on Look South.

Besides Meghalaya, the Northeast states which share a border with Bangladesh are Assam, Tripura and Mizoram.

Though Meghalaya exports coal and limestone to Bangladesh, absence of good roads, rail, air and sea connectivity stand as hurdles for better trade ties.

Besides, there are no Bangladesh visa offices either in Shillong or Guwahati.

People from Assam and Meghalaya have to either travel to Agartala or Calcutta to obtain visa to travel to Bangladesh.

Though the Meghalaya government had proposed bus services from Shillong to Sylhet and another from Tura to Dhaka, this has not made any headway.

Sangma, who is also a legislator from Tura, took up various issues with Hasina.

One proposal Sangma wants Bangladesh to look into is the feasibility of connecting Dhaka and Tura using the ADB-funded Bangabandhu Bridge (Jamuna multi-purpose bridge).

It takes 1,600km to reach Guwahati from Dhaka, via Calcutta and Siliguri.

If the Bangabandhu Bridge is used, it will cut the distance by 700km for the Calcutta-Dhaka-Tura-Guwahati route.

Sangma also requested the Bangladesh Prime Minister to declare the ancient kingdom of erstwhile Jaintia Kings situated in Jaintiapur and currently in Sylhet district of Bangladesh to be preserved, protected and declared a national heritage site.

He also visited Chittagong and had a detailed discussion with officials of Chittagong Port Authority.

The officials said once the Chittagong Port was expanded — work for which was on in full swing — it would facilitate trade with the Northeast.

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Bangladesh to declare Jaintiapur kingdom a national heritage

Shillong , Jun 29 : The Bangladesh government has decided to declare Jaintiapur, which is currently in the neighbouring country, as a national heritage site.

Jaintiapur, the capital of erstwhile Jaintia kingdom, comprises the Jaintia and the Khasi hills, now in Meghalaya, along with the plains of Jaintiapur in Bangladesh.

''Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed her principal secretary to organise a joint visit by cultural secretary and request Indian High Commissioner to Jaintiapur to take all necessary steps to convert it into a national heritage,'' former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma told reporters here today.

Mr Sangma met the Bangladesh Prime Minister during his recent visit to Dhaka.

Ms Hasina, he said, has also requested him to send her a brief history of Jaintia kingdom.

The cultural remains of the Jaintia kingdom include a dilapidated palace, Jainteswari temple and monuments which were built by Jaintia king Laxmi Sinha in 1680 AD.

Historically, the Jaintia kingdom was extended from east of Shillong towards the plains of Barak valley in Assam and Jaintiapur, which is now ruined.

The location of Jaintiapur is about 43 km away from the northern part of the town of Sylhet on the road connecting Sylhet and the hill station of Shillong. Much of the Sylhet region of Bangladesh was under the jurisdiction of Jaintia kingdom.

After the invasion by Kachari king, the Jaintia kingdom came under increasing Kachari and Ahom political influence and later, the kingdom was annexed by the British East India company in 1935.

READ MORE - Bangladesh to declare Jaintiapur kingdom a national heritage

A Change in Khasi Matrilineal Society of Meghalaya

MATRILINEAL SOCIETY Obviously, it is seen that the care for the young ones becomes increasingly important in rather the higher types of animal life, as they are more and more in need of proper care and development.

Initially, the care that is required for the proper growth of an individual basically depends upon the parents, sometimes only upon the mother and of course sometimes upon the father also. Naturally, it can be considered as a base for the essential constituents of a family. The concept ‘family’ itself is universal and social in nature.

So far as the people of different level of cultures are concerned, we generally find varying degrees of the existence of two types of family organization viz, the patrilineal and the matrilineal systems of family. In a patrilineal system of family, we find those where the descent is reckoned through the father, however in the case of ‘matrilineal’ system the descent is generally from the mother side. Apart from these two types of families, there is also a third kind of family known as bilateral or bilineal system of family, in which the descent is recognized both from the father and mother side.

The bilateral system of family is generally found among the people of ‘Shella’ state in Meghalaya, which had developed a completely different social tradition in context to that of the Khasi Ri Bhoi and Khasi Ri Pnar in matters relating to their hereditary rights in connection with land and properly. But, the people of Shella state have maintained the same matrilineal system of society with however a different law of inheritance.

The term, ‘Matriarchy’ itself is unique and there are grave doubts whatever such kind of family system ever existed in primitive society. ‘Matriarchy’ of course, is a form or system of family in which the total control is centered either in the wife or in the mother. On the contrary, it is the Patriarchal family which prevailed not only in the civilization of antiquity, but also in the feudal society from which our own society came into existence.

Caring of the young ones especially in its earlier stages is the topmost priority or function of a family and thus a child is the most important member of a family. According to the Khasi belief, “the children are the blessing of God” and thus they take pain staking efforts in ensuring the security and happiness of the children.

But, the earth always had a microscopic exception i.e. all the members of the regular household are considered to be the property of the family of head – ‘The Head’- being the father not the child. However, the mother is the one who bears the child in her womb and protects it from all sorts of dangers and vices around, thereby performing the role of a protector throughout her life. It is because of this particular reason, out comes the word “Anti- Mei” whenever we face a sudden danger. Such instances can be heard or seen in terms of thousands when man were concerned with dire consequences and circumstances; he always took refuge or shelter to the mercy of a deity but not in the lap of a male God.

In the ancient and primitive world, all men abided themselves by the natural laws, but as time passed by several disorders appeared in the natural state and people different among themselves in explaining the real meaning of the laws of nature. That is the reason why, people conferred the power on community to exercise their liberty, but the rights of property and life remained in individual hands. Consequently, customs were formed to regulate the conduct of life in ancient societies. But as the time went on from ancient societies to modern, custom became insufficient and they had to be supplemented by other social codes and laws.

Due to the transition in economic conditions, the husbands originally who were real hunters and warriors had to leave their homes in order to make a living and to work at places under conditions dictate by others. Even the wives and daughters for many reasons were forced to leave their homes and work outdoors. Thus, economic conditions made the family totally individualistic. In the recent past, even in other parts of our country, the system of joint family which was so common but it had to disintegrate as the time passed by. That is to say that, societies doesn’t necessarily fall or decline as in the case of an individual, but to remain contented with the past achievements nearly will lead us on the road that leads to death.

In Meghalaya, the Khasi tribe is one among the few in the world that follows and practices the unique Matrilineal System. Vivek Ghosal, in a feature, in Femina, May 1 1997 quotes a Khasi woman activist saying, “We won’t let men impose their will on us. No, we will not accept that”, However, it is evident from the fact that the child is the natural base of a family and between a mother and a child cannot be several throughout the life even if we cut the umbilical cord during the birth of a baby. Therefore, the inherent dependence is always there and whatever is good and beautiful on this earth will be given the name of mother as motherland or mother tongue etc.

There is no custom or culture that can be static and fixed on this earth, but has to keep on changing in pace with the progress and development of a society. Similarly, the family has undergone a lot of change to the extent that it came to mean all the persons included within the household, infact everything more or less regarded as the property more or less of the family head, the head being the ‘Father’ not the child. Reference can also be made in regard to the conception of the ‘family’ in the ‘Ten Commandments’ as Quote “Thou shall not covet thy neighbour’s wife, or his man servant or his maid servant, or his Ox or his Ass, or anything”.

However, time has arrived now to initiate a change in the social customary laws. Since, the transition is very rapid in almost all parts of the world, societies to have become more individualistic and people’s aim of life is to ensure security and happiness of their children. Infact, both parents must have equal rights in the family though in governance of the family by the patriarchal system of authority.

Even the law of inheritance should also follow accordingly like in the Shella state, i.e. to say that the children should have equal rights over the properties of parents.

However, it is to note that the present prevailing customary law of inheritance in Meghalaya which has not been either sanctioned by the parliament or the Assembly prevalent amongst the Pnars, Khynriams, U Bhoi, U War calls for immediate review of this in the modern- day changing world.

READ MORE - A Change in Khasi Matrilineal Society of Meghalaya

Council push for probe into felling

Shillong, June 29 : The executive committee of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council today decided to institute an independent probe into alleged felling at Byrnihat and Lailad areas of Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya.

The issue along with previous inquiry reports were discussed at today’s council session.

The forest areas of Lailad and Byrnihat are managed by the council.

The council’s executive member in-charge, forest, Jansing M. Tynsong, while replying to a question, said an independent inquiry would be conducted.

“We will seek the help of a retired senior forest official to head an independent probe,” Tynsong said.

According to Tynsong, the findings of the departmental inquiry carried out by the council in 2007 on felling was questioned by another inquiry committee instituted by the state government a year later.

“The findings of the state government-instituted inquiry committee had raised objections to the departmental inquiry’s statement that the trees were cut down in the Lailad forest area under the district council to help the Meghalaya State Electricity Board set up of 33 KV and 11KV sub-stations in the area,” Tynsong said.

According to the findings of the government-initiated probe, felling in Lailad was carried out beyond areas earmarked for setting up of the two power sub-stations.

It has also raised objections to the previous inquiry’s observations on felling in Byrnihat.

The departmental inquiry, in its report, had reasoned that some old trees in the forest area of Byrnihat under the council had to be removed to facilitate growth of saplings.

The government inquiry did not agree and asserted that there was rampant felling in 2007 in Byrnihat leading to a considerable decline in the forest cover.

Former chief minister Donkupar Roy had instituted a government-level inquiry in 2008 into felling at Lailad and Byrnihat.

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Meghalaya teachers on 5-day en masse casual leave

Shillong, Jun 28 (PTI) Teachers of government primary schools in Meghalaya today began a five-day en masse casual leave, protesting against the non-payment of 40 per cent arrears as per the revised pay scale.

"We have been pursuing the matter since March. The government did not respond to our petitions. We have no other option but to register our protest," Meghalaya Government Primary School Teachers Association (MGPSTA) General Secretary KS Diengdoh told reporters today.

"We tried to take up the matter in-house as we are government employees. However, our petitions have found no takers," he said

Primary teachers in Shillong, Jowai, Nongpoh, Jowai, Amlarem, Khliehriat Mawkyrwat and Mairang have not received the arrears, but those in Nongstoin and the Garo Hills have already received their due, Diengdoh said.

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Girl dies in landslide, flash flood wrecks havoc in Meghalaya

Shillong, June 28 : A 14-year-old girl was killed and at least seven others were injured on Monday after heavy rains triggered a landslide in Shillong.

Alicia Arengngma, daughter of a policeman, was buried when debris of a landslide following heavy rain blocked the ground floor of Meghalaya police's CID complex, police said.

Some nearby houses were also damaged and rescue operations were on, official sources said.

The injured were admitted in a government hospital.

Incessant rain over the past couple of days has thrown normal life completely out of gear in the state.

Several parts of the low-lying areas of the hill station, especially Polo Grounds area were inundated due to heavy rain with Umkhrah river in full spate. Many houses and market places in the area were partially flooded.

Minor landslides and subsequent road blockades were reported from several parts of the state even as the situation began to improve late in the afternoon with the rains receding for the time being.

Meanwhile, the Met office has predicted heavy to moderate rains over the next 24 hours throughout the state.

Cherrapunjee (Sohra), has been experiencing heavy rain over the past week with the rain-gauge reading an average of over 30 cm on a daily basis.

READ MORE - Girl dies in landslide, flash flood wrecks havoc in Meghalaya

NGOs ordered to compensate

In a landmark judgment in defamation case, the court has ordered NGOs in Meghalaya to pay a hefty compensation of 50 lakhs to senior state government official Santosh R Marak, after a sensational three-year legal battle that nearly stirred civil unrest in the Garo Hills.
In a recent judgment the district court of West Garo Hills has asked Garo Students’ Union (southern zone), Youth Development Vigilance Committee, Mother Union (Garo Hills), and Southern Youth and Cultural Organisation to pay a compensation of 50 lakhs as damages to SR Marak.
West Garo Hills additional deputy commissioner and district magistrate, R.S. Sangma, passed the order after its final hearing to the case (DM-S-1/2008) held on June 2 last. The court directive absolved all corruption charges levelled against Marak and decreed against 10 defendants who were representatives of the NGOs.
“The plaintiff (SR Marak) is entitled to a decree for a sum of Rs. 50,00,000 as prayed for payable jointly and severally by all the 10 defendants (members of NGOs),” reads the order issued by the civil judge Sangma.
In 2007, the NGOs falsely implicated Marak, who was then posted as former additional deputy commissioner and additional district magistrate at Baghmara, of misappropriating SSA Mid Day Meal Scheme and other development funds of South Garo Hills. In this wake the Garo Hills based organisations went on record alleging the senior official of embezzling public fund and planted series of false and malicious reports in local papers.
Further, the organisations launched a poster campaign purportedly to incite public sentiment in their favour against Marak. They also made demand to the state government to remove him from his post by calling indefinite bandh in South Garo Hills on July 24, 2008.
Marak, after his repeated demand to furnish proof against the charges failed to evoke any response from the NGOs, filed for damages in the civil court at Baghmara in 2008. The case was later transferred to the district court at Tura.
In the mean time, the NGOs also made many attempts to derail the case by challenging the jurisdiction of the court and filed an appeal to try the suit at Gauhati High Court (Shillong Bench), which dismissed their appeal subsequently.
Marak, a cadre of Meghalaya Civil Service, is currently posted as civil SDO of Resubalpara, East Garo Hills.

READ MORE - NGOs ordered to compensate

Purno Sangma meets road accident in Bangladesh

SHILLONG,June 26 : Former Lok Sabha speaker Purno A Sangma, his wife and former Rajya Sabha MP BB Dutta from Meghalaya met a road accident in Bangladesh yesterday.

"Dad is normal but mom and Dutta received minor injury," Sangma`s son and Leader of Opposition in Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Conrad K Sangma told Imphal Free Press today.

Dutta got hurt on his shoulder while Sangma`s wife Soradini K Sangma received minor injury in the portion of the face.

They left Dhaka yesterday for India (Meghalaya) by road via Sylhet-Dawki route and arrived in Shillong today evening.

Dutta who was taken in Ambulance from Dawki, admitted in Nazareth Hospital here for further medical examination.

According to Conrad, the accident occurred at around 6.30 pm (Indian Standard Time) somewhere near Sylhet.

"The car they were traveling could not stop when an escort car infront suddenly applied brake on seeing a speed breaker," he said.

Sangma was on a five-day visit to Dhaka. During his visit, the former Lok Sabha Speaker attended an international seminar on war crimes trial and met Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other officials.

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Meghalaya: 14th State council meeting of the Meghalaya Bharat Scouts and Guides Held

Shillong: The Annual State Council Meeting of the Meghalaya Bharat Scouts and Guides was held today the 25th June 2010 at the Conference Hall of the Main Secretariat building, Shillong. Mr. W. M. S. Pariat, Meghalaya Chief Secretary, also the President of the State Association presided over the meeting. Other dignitaries include Mr. P. S. Thangkhiew, Principal Secretary, Education, Mr. W. R. Marbaniang, DGP Home Guards and Civil Defence, Mr. W. Khyllep, Director of Higher and Technical Education and SSC of Bharat Scouts and Guides, Mrs. A. Swer, State Secretary, Inspector of Schools, Secretaries, various District Commissioners and other members of the Bharat Scouts and Guides.

During the meeting various issues were discussed which included the resolutions of the 13th State Council Meeting, the action taken report, a power point presentation highlighting the activities, workshops, events and awards received by the members during the year 2009-10. The Annual reports of various Districts of the State were also read out by the respective representatives, consideration and adoption of Budget proposal for 2011 -2012 with special focus to salaries of the 7 districts employees were also discussed.

Other discussions included construction works of the Old and New Building, maintenance of the property owned by the Meghalaya Bharat Scouts and Guides at Umtyngar and how to generate funds to meet the requirements and to form a Committee in this regard.

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Cellphone found in Tura jail

SIM, charger also seized
In Fresh controversy
Shillong, June 25 : A cell phone with a SIM and a charger were recently found inside a toilet of Tura Jail in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, inviting fresh trouble for the jail department.

On October 22, taking advantage of laxity in this jail, 13 undertrials attempted a jailbreak. One was shot at by a homeguard while another made a suicide attempt to evade arrest.

Talking about the recent find inside the jail’s toilet, the director-general (prisons), Kulbir Krishan, today said the items were found on Sunday and the Tura Jail staff had filed an FIR with the local police station.

Initial police investigation has revealed three undertrials — Tengsal D. Sangma, Suraj Gupta and Silash Marak — had the cell phone in their possession.

Krishan said on June 9, they were lodged in Tura Jail and there was a chance that the cell phone was carried inside the jail by one of them.

It was the use of mobile phones that helped seven undertrials led by Full Moon Dhar establish connections with their friends before fleeing Shillong Jail last year. The Shillong jailbreak prompted authorities across the state’s jails to keep a close tab on taking in or out electronic equipment to and from the jails.

“In Tura Jail because of the absence of metal detectors, there is no mechanism to prevent ferrying of small electronic equipment, but efforts would be made to install modern gadgets to prevent jailbreak, Krishan said. There is a systemic failure that concerns us. The first thing we did after the recovery of the cell phone was to file an FIR and hand it over to police. A departmental inquiry was also ordered to find out any laxity on the part of any jail staff.”

“We need to install metal detectors in Tura Jail to prevent jailbreak,” he said. “We are determined to ensure that there is no more jailbreak, upgrade of the jails are on the cards,” Krishan said. Last year in Tura Jail, the 13 undertrials took advantage of the laxity in the prison during the collection of firewood on the jail premises.

The Meghalaya government has been drawing flak from various quarters after Justice (retired) D. Biswas, currently the Lokayukta in Assam, has come under criticism for resigning from the Shillong jailbreak inquiry commission.

This is the first time that a judge had left an inquiry commission midway without completing the probe. The Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy, a conglomeration of NGOs, has “condemned” the resignation.

The committee expressed “serious apprehensions” that the state government had its own role to play on the issue, to “protect” certain people.

The government, however, has assured the Assembly that a newly appointed judge would soon head the probe panel. “We will also ensure that the head of the commission does not leave half way like the previous judge,” chief minister Mukul Sangma had told the House.

READ MORE - Cellphone found in Tura jail

Shillong to have modern abattoir

Shillong, June 24 : A modern abattoir would come up at Mawiong here in one-and-a-half-years, Meghalaya’s deputy chief minister in charge of veterinary and animal husbandry Bindo Lanong said today.

Lanong told reporters that the project on a 20,000 square metre plot would cost nearly Rs 23 crore.

According to Lanong, in the absence of a modern slaughterhouse in the city, butchers are slaughtering animals at their places or private lands where solid and liquid wastes are disposed of in the drains and the meat is extremely unhygienic for human consumption.

The design of the proposed abattoir adhered to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules 2001 and the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) 4393 of 1979 which is the basic requirement for an abattoir, Lanong said.

The government maintains that in a state where consumption of meat is high, allowing sale of meat in retail can neither ensure cleanliness nor hygiene.

Apart from the non-availability of an organised or a proper slaughterhouse here and elsewhere in the state, there is no process of ante-mortem inspection or post-mortem to ascertain if the animals were suffering from any disease.

Lack of proper supply of clean water in and around the butchering places is another problem.

Lanong said the proposed abattoir would provide quality and hygienic meat to the consumers and address the problem of pollution of environment, including the streams and the rivers.

The structure of all buildings and the facilities under abattoir had been considered in accordance with respective BIS code and national building code, Lanong said.

In the proposed abattoir, many technical and non-technical staff will be employed and it is estimated that during the first year, around 116 employees will be required. There is a huge scope for indirect employment.

The state veterinary and animal husbandry department will be the promoter of the project. On its completion and after commissioning of the plant, the department will hand over the abattoir to a competent agency to run it on a private-public partnership model.

READ MORE - Shillong to have modern abattoir

Diengdoh goes international

Shillong, June 24 : Banshan Diengdoh, a member of the Meghalaya Table Tennis Association has brought laurels to the Meghalaya by becoming the first qualified international umpire from the state.

In the examination held all over the world in May, this year, by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), Diengdoh, a resident of Laban in Shillong, was one of the two candidates representing Meghalaya for the Table Tennis Federation of India.

In the result published on the Internet by the ITTF three days ago, he found that he had cleared the examination and qualified as an international umpire.

Banshan is also one of the four qualified table tennis coaches in the state. One of the four is a SAI Coach working with the national team.

He said various personalities, including former minister R.G. Lyngdoh, who is also the president of Meghalaya Table Tennis Association, and it’s secretary Chiranjib Choudhuri, have inspired him.

He added that SAI coach Vijay Sarathi had guided him a lot in the past.

READ MORE - Diengdoh goes international

Meghalaya CIC pass landmark ruling on traditional bodies

Meghalaya’s Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) G P Wahlang today said Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) and traditional bodies would fall under the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005.
Wahlang passed his landmark ruling after hearing the petition filed by a pressure group - Federation of Khasi Jaiñtia and Garo People (FKJGP) against the Syiem of Hima (chiefdom) Mylliem for denying furnishing information under RTI Act on revenue collection.
Hima Mylliem is one of the traditional political institutions in Khasi Hills.
The two major tribes of Meghalaya the Khasis and Garos have their own traditional political institutions ruled by the chiefs (Syiem in Khasi and Nokma in Garo) respectively. These traditional institutions have existed for hundreds of years.
Wahlang who examined the petition, observed that the Syiem (chieftain) was an administrative officer of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) as enshrined by Para 2(4) of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and as confirmed by the Supreme Court in a case between T Cajee and Jormanik Syiem.
All the traditional heads are public servants duly appointed by respective ADCs and hence they automatically attract the provisions of Rule 2 (h) of the RTI Act, the CIC said
There are three ADCs in Meghalaya namely the KHADC, Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
In Meghalaya, the RTI Act 2005 has become a powerful tool where several cases on lack of transparency and accountability in the functioning of various government departments including cases of embezzlement of public money were unearthed by various RTI activists.
Earlier in the month of January this year, FKJGP had filed a RTI application with the office of the Syiem of Mylliem seeking information on the status of revenue collection and expenditure of the Syiem. Till date the Syiem has not responded claiming that his office was not within the purview of the RTI Act.

READ MORE - Meghalaya CIC pass landmark ruling on traditional bodies

Traditional chiefs, districts councils under RTI purview

Shillong, June 23 : Meghalaya’s Chief Information Commissioner G P Wahlang has ruled that the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) and all traditional chiefs of the state fall under the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005.

The ruling came in the wake of a petition filed by the Federation of Khasi Jaiñtia and Garo People (FKJGP), an NGO, alleging non-compliance of the Syiem of Hima (chiefdom) Mylliem to furnish information on revenue collection of the Hima (traditional Khasi state).

While examining the petition, Wahlang, observed that the Syiem (chieftain) was an administrative officer of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) as enshrined by Para 2(4) of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and as confirmed by the Supreme Court in a case between T Cajee and Jormanik Syiem.

The CIC, in its ruling last week, said all the traditional heads are public servants duly appointed by the respective ADCs and hence they automatically attract the provisions of Rule 2 (h) of the RTI Act.

Earlier in the month of January this year, FKJGP had filed a RTI application with the office of the Syiem of Mylliem seeking information on the status of revenue collection and expenditure of the Syiem. Till date the Syiem has not responded claiming that his office was not within the purview of the RTI Act.

READ MORE - Traditional chiefs, districts councils under RTI purview

Delhi policy jams cell connectivity

Shillong, June 22 : The Centre’s guideline to restrict the spread of mobile signals to the Bangladeshis is one of the bottlenecks in providing better cellular connectivity to Meghalaya’s border areas.

The delay of PWD (roads) in giving an early nod to laying of optical fibre cables and the zigzag terrain in the state’s hilly border region that make laying of these cables difficult, are the other problems that hinder a wide BSNL network coverage on the borders.

Many border residents of Meghalaya continue to use Grameenphone of Bangladesh as the BSNL’s mobile connectivity is weak compared to the neighbouring country’s telecommunications service provider.

In the past, several Grameenphone SIMs were seized from the militants arrested in Meghalaya.

Besides Umkiang in Jaintia Hills, other border villages in the district where Bangladesh SIM cards are used include Hingaria, Lejri, Huroi, Borkhat, Kharkhana, Nongkhen and Nongthalang.

There are also several border villages in Khasi hills and Garo hills where Grameenphone SIMs are available.

According to a top BSNL official, though Delhi had directed to restrict the signals crossing the zero line of the international border, efforts are being made by the BSNL to restrict signals till the zero line.

“We now have the equipment to limit the BSNL signals up to the zero line,” the general manager, telecom, district (GMTD), Meghalaya, G.V. Ramakrishna, told reporters.

The Centre maintains that the Northeast militants can avail the facility of BSNL network if the signals are available in Bangladesh beyond the zero line.

Bangladesh, however, has not imposed any restriction on sending signals to Grameenphone towers in India.

Ramakrishna said of 90 new mobile towers to be set up in Meghalaya, only eight would be installed in the state’s border areas.

According to sources, for the past two years, the BSNL has been awaiting permission from the PWD to lay optical fibre cables from the border area of Pynursla in East Khasi Hills to Dawki in Jaintia Hills. The telecom major has also been waiting for the department’s nod for the past year to carry out laying of fibre wires from Mawsynram to Balat in East Khasi Hills.

Ramakrishna said the difficult terrain in the border areas made it impossible to lay optical fibres in a time-bound manner. Compared to the private mobile companies that use radio signals in the towers installed in the border areas, the BSNL mostly depend on optical fibres. “Our hurdle is that we need plenty of optical fibre wires to lay in the border areas because of its terrain,” Ramakrishna said.

READ MORE - Delhi policy jams cell connectivity

Sangma asks Centre to complete Shillong bypass

Shillong, Jun 22 : Meghalaya Chief Minster Mukul Sangma today urged Centre to expeditiously complete the implementation of the Shillong bypass and improvement & up-gradation of the NH-62.

Dr Sangma, who met Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Kamal Nath at the national capital, requested for maintaining uniform pavement weight all along the NH-51.

On the four-laning of Shillong-Guwahati Road (NH-40), the Chief Minister said necessary steps taken for completion of land acquisition by the state need to be expeditiously implemented in view of the traffic intensity on the road being the main road connecting states like Mizoram, Tripura, Barak valley of Assam and Manipur.

He also apprised the Union Minister of the socio-political and economic importance of this road in view of the number of states that are connected and Indias Look-East Policy and the Policy under SARDP-NE for connecting all the States capitals with four lane roads.

The four lanes of this important road may be taken up on a priority basis in the best interests of the Region.

READ MORE - Sangma asks Centre to complete Shillong bypass

Won't accept 1972 demarcation by Assam: Meghalaya

Shillong, June 21 (PTI) The Meghalaya government today said it would not accept the 1972 demarcation done by Assam wherein a number of areas were included in the then Mikir Hills district, further intensifying the boundary dispute between the two states.

"The block-I and block-II areas were included in the Mikir Hills (now Karbi Anglong). The survey was done unilaterally by Assam. We cannot accept that," state Home Minister H D R Lyngdoh told reporters here.

He said once the areas of differences are resolved, Meghalaya will demand re-transfer of these areas to the state.

According to the demarcation done by Assam in 1951, many of the disputed areas like Psiar and Khatkasla in the borders of Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills and Assam's Karbi Anglong district were in Meghalaya, Lyngdoh said.

READ MORE - Won't accept 1972 demarcation by Assam: Meghalaya

Meghalaya police get vital leads on blasphemous pictures

SHILLONG, JUN 21 : Meghalaya Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh today assured that those responsible for stenciling the blasphemous pictures on the city walls would be arrested soon. “We have got vital leads into the case and the police are zeroing in to the culprits,’’ Mr Lyngdoh said.
Last week, the city walls here in Meghalaya were found stenciled with blasphemous pictures of Jesus Christ and Pope Benedict XVI and uncanny resemblances to state politicians and Governor R S Mooshahary on important government buildings and Christian-run educational institutions.
Two FIRs have been filed, one by Rector of Don Bosco Technical School, Fr L B Anthony and the other by Principal of St Anthonys College, Fr I Warpakma. The state police have registered a case under section 295 A IPC for hurting religious sentiments, stated UNI. “I assure you that the police would nab the culprits-Police are working on the leads,’’ Mr Lyngdoh said.
Most of the graffiti were stenciled with black paint on walls of the Raj Bhavan, state main and additional secretariat buildings and missionary-run educational institutions.
The graffiti raised questions on Uranium issue, which is a sensitive issue in the state and sacrilegious remarks on religion. Others were more cryptic ones depicting cockroaches, scorpions with human face apparently of local politicians.
A graffit on the Raj Bhavan walls said in the local Khasi dialect-’Hangne Dei Uranium (Uranium sold here) How much?’ However, what have left the police baffled are the ones stenciled on the life size statue of Don Bosco and educational institutes run by missionaries.
The graffiti on the Don Bosco statue had stenciled picture of crucified Jesus with a writing-Rs 9.26, 36,105.80 p on the top. Another graffiti had a picture of the Pope Benedict XVI on the walls of Don Bosco Technical School and St Anthonys College.
Archbishop of the Shillong Archdiocese, Rev Dominic Jala strongly condemning the sacrilegious act and expressed surprise on the motive behind the acts of vandalism. “We are pained at the blasphemous depiction of the Pope and have now left it up to the police to look into the matter,’’ Rev Jala said.
The Archbishop further informed that the Church would hold a peace prayer meeting on June 23. The police, meanwhile, are drawing flak from the public for plunging the city into total darkness every night switching off street lights during the period.
In fact, the police must insist on having street lights on and also installation of CCTVs in sensitive areas,’’ Billy Peter Domes, Editor of a vernacular weekly said. Superintendent of Police, A Mawthoh said that there is no breakthrough, but the police are investigating into it.

READ MORE - Meghalaya police get vital leads on blasphemous pictures

Meghalaya CM on 10-day Europe trip

Shillong, June 21 (PTI) Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma will embark on a 10-day overseas trip to three countries in Europe beginning tomorrow.

Sangma would be accompanied by Deputy chief minister Rowel Lyngdoh, parliamentary secretaries PW Khongjee and Lakmen Rymbui, Meghalaya Tourism Development Council chairman Ronnie V Lyngdoh and OSD to CM HM Shangpliang.

The purpose of his visit is to familiarize himself on health infrastructure there and solicit investment from established industrial houses in tourism, horticulture and infrastructure sectors, officials said today.

"I am hopeful that our trip will be fruitful and that we shall return with good news for the state," Sangma had said before leaving for New Delhi yesterday.

"Our state is so rich in many aspects and we should not waste time in finding ways to utilize our resources for the best interest and benefit of the people," he said.

READ MORE - Meghalaya CM on 10-day Europe trip

BDR Firing: Meghalaya Moves Centre for Security

Shillong, Jun 20 : In the wake of simmering tension following a firing by the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) on Tuesday, the Meghalaya government has dashed off a letter to Home Minister P Chidambaram urging Centre's intervention in providing adequate security to the people residing along the Indo-Bangla border.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who met leaders of organisations representing the people residing along the border last evening, said the Centre's intervention is a must since the state has very little to do on the issue.

"The Centre must take the matter in the right perspective," Sangma said adding that the chief secretary has written a letter to the Home Minister informing about the "lack of confidence on commitment of the BSF towards protecting the life and property of the border people".

"We would like to know from the Centre whether the BSF is ready to provide 100% security to our people," the chief minister said.

He said Home Minister H D R Lyngdoh would lead a government team to the border on Wednesday to take stock of the situation.

Leaders of the Coordination Committee on International Border (CCIB), a conglomerate of different organisations, told the chief minister that people living in the border areas were scared to venture into their paddy fields due to a lack of security cover by the BSF.

"The people have lost confidence in the BSF," they said, raising questions on the functioning of the BSF.

On Tuesday, BDR had opened 'unprovoked firing' in at least four places along the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border injuring a school teacher and reigniting tension in border areas.

READ MORE - BDR Firing: Meghalaya Moves Centre for Security

Four Bangladeshi intruders held in Meghalaya

Shillong, June 20 BSF today apprehended four Bangladeshis who crossed over to India illegally.

The infiltrators, identified as Alam Jamadar, Munir Munshi, Sahajada Gaji and Md Sulaiman, were held near Bholaganj in Meghalaya?s East Khasi Hills district and have been handed over to police, BSF sources said.

READ MORE - Four Bangladeshi intruders held in Meghalaya

Agitating teachers in Meghalaya warned of action

SHILLONG, June 18 – The Meghalaya government today warned primary teachers who have resolved to go on en masse casual leave of disciplinary action.

Teachers of primary schools in Meghalaya have threatened to go on a five-day casual leave from June 28 protesting non-payment of 40 per cent arrears as per revised pay.

“All districts who have submitted fund requirement proposal in time have received allotment and drawn arrears. The payment release for three districts and one sub-division is pending due to late receipt of proposal, but they are also being processed,” Director of School Education JD Sangma said in a statement. He said it was totally illegal and unjustified to adopt such a resolution for remaining absent from duty.

READ MORE - Agitating teachers in Meghalaya warned of action

Meghalaya Govt to Codify Traditional Laws

Raju Das

SHILLONG, June 18 – Meghalaya State Law Commission would codify traditional laws and practices to empower traditional heads to dispose off minor disputes at the village level.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that with a huge backlog of court cases, traditional heads can dispose off minor disputes at the village level, once the traditional laws and practices are codified. Sangma said the traditional heads would function under the purview of Para 4 of the Sixth Scheduled of the Indian Constitution.

However, wherever applicable the Indian Penal System would be used. “We are talking in terms of minor issues that can be settled through intervention of traditional heads so that people need not always run to the police stations,” Sangma added.

In Meghalaya, under Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, there are three district councils having power on myriad issues such as forests, tax collection, etc.

At the village level, Rangbah Shnongs (Khasi-Jaintia Hills) and Nokmas (Garo Hills) are the traditional heads having various rights and powers. But, there were instances of traditional heads transgressing their authority.

“Certain laws would be incorporated so that information can be sought from the traditional heads, while codifying the traditional laws and practices,” Sangma added.

Sangma clarified that traditional heads would function under the purview of the Indian Constitution and would also be accountable as per law. “They were just being given mandate to settle minor disputes. We are in the process of hiring persons of repute in the Meghalaya Law Commission so that the codification process can begin,” he said.

READ MORE - Meghalaya Govt to Codify Traditional Laws

Meghalaya mulls land documents for financial inclusion

SHILLONG: To ensure financial inclusion and better credit flow, the Meghalaya Government is considering issuing land possession certificates to help land owners avail loans from banks.

The Meghalaya Chief Minister, Mr Mukul Sangma, said Land Possession Certificates will be issued to land owners, which will help local entrepreneurs to use it as mortgage for loans.

“At present, in absence of land pattas, the local entrepreneurs despite owning land cannot prove the ownership which is a key to avail loans,” Mr Sangma told presspersons Tuesday night.

Speaking about the recent meeting of leaders of eastern states with the Union Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, in Patna, Mr Sangma said it had dwelt on the need to involve more people in competitive banking and financial inclusion.

READ MORE - Meghalaya mulls land documents for financial inclusion

Meghalaya rural job scheme hits hurdles

Shillong, June 17: The implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in Meghalaya has run into several bottlenecks, according to an evaluation report.
The NREGS is a central scheme, which has the provision to provide job cards with a daily wage of Rs 70 to the people who can take up specified work in their localities.

The annual report of the NREGS for 2008-2009 released by the Meghalaya government pointed out that field experience reveals that the unskilled wage rate offered at Rs 70 found fewer takers in the areas where the normal wage rate is higher.

According to the report, as in some blocks there are no full-fledged block development officers (BDOs), extension officers are given temporary charge, which hampers the implementation of the programme.

“This results in poor performance in terms of man days achieved by districts, especially Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills,” the report said.

Moreover, lack of technical assistants also delays the preparation of estimates for the nature of work to be undertaken.

“Measurement of work is also delayed resulting in delay of payment of wages. This is a major hindrance for the implementation,” said the report, adding that absence of a reliable Internet connection in the block levels also makes data redundant as the blocks are using the offline software.

The area employment councils (AECs) and village employment councils (VECs), which were established for the smooth implementation of the project are not well equipped to maintain the numerous amount of paper work,” the report said.

The members of the two councils who are employed elsewhere express difficulty in managing the travel fare while visiting the block or district offices and also on the loss of the daily wage on days when they are called for the NREGS-related work, according to the report. The wage earners under the NREGS, particularly in the rural areas, find it difficult to avail the wages that is being routed through post offices and banks.

Low penetration of banks and post offices in the rural areas also makes the wage earners travel long distances to collect their wages.

At present, there are eight blocks where there are no banks.

Another hurdle is the unavailability of community lands for the NREGS work, which delays the implementation of land development and irrigation work in some areas.

“A proper reporting system is necessary to enable a transparent and effective implementation of all programmes,” the report said.

The Union ministry of rural development has developed an IT-based solution through which an effective monitoring can be carried out, it added.

The introduction of this system came towards the end of 2007-2008 and therefore 2008-2009 showed a better response in creating awareness among the implementing agencies, the report said.

READ MORE - Meghalaya rural job scheme hits hurdles

Border firing issue: Meghalaya CM slams BDR

Shillong, June 17, (PTI): Condemning the firing by BDR towards India along the international border in the state, the Meghalaya government on Wednesday sought Centre's intervention to ''protect'' the life and property of its people.

"The firing has created a sense of insecurity and panic. The act by BDR is condemnable and was intended to create fear psychosis among the people and dislodge them from their habitats," Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who moved Union Home Minister P Chidambaram seeking Centre's intervention, told reporters here.

"We have made it abundantly clear that protection of life and property of people living along the international border is essentially the responsibility of the government of India. We asked the Home Minister to take appropriate steps on an urgent basis," he said.

Observing that it was best left to the "wisdom" of the Centre on how best to tackle the situation, Sangma said the state government is taking up the matter with the Centre in the "right perspective". Asked why the BSF did not retaliate even though BDR fired over 3,000 rounds on Tuesday at four places in the state's Jaintia Hills district, Sangma said, "You should ask the BSF. But, I have learnt that the BSF has been given necessary instructions after the incident."

He said magistrates accompanied by other government and BSF officials have been sent to the affected border areas to instill a sense of security among the residents. The chief minister said though there were no formal report of any exodus, there are inputs that people, during night, are taking shelter in safer places and school buildings.

Over 3,000 rounds were fired by BDR towards India along the international border on Tuesday. Indian villagers had gone for cultivation on land held in 'adverse possession' near Noljuri when the BDR fired at them. A school teacher was injured in the incident.

Later, the BDR also fire at Ratangtila, Dawki and Muktapur. BDR had earlier resorted to unprovoked firing four times during February and March.

READ MORE - Border firing issue: Meghalaya CM slams BDR

BDR fires over 3,000 rounds in Meghalaya

Shillong, June 16 (PTI) Bangladesh Rifles today fired over 3,000 rounds along the international border in Meghalya's Jaintia Hills district and three other places in the state.

BDR troopers opened fire on Indian villagers who had gone for cultivation in an 'adverse possession land' near Noljuri in Jaintia Hills, BSF sources said.

A lady school teacher was injured in the firing after which she was evacuated to the Dawki border outpost, they said.

The BSF maintained restraint and evacuated the civilians from the line of fire.

Later, the BDR also opened fire at three other places ? Ratangtila, Dawki and Muktapur, the sources said.

The incident came a day after BDR erected a red flag on land held in 'adverse position' at Amlympiang near Noljuri where the first firing took place. The flag was erected to prevent Indians from entering the area, the sources said.

READ MORE - BDR fires over 3,000 rounds in Meghalaya

BSF, Bangladesh Rifles exchange gunfire

The Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Tuesday traded gunfire in three areas along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya in which a woman was injured, officials here said.

The firing started around 9.30 a.m. in Jaintia Hills district's Muktapur village followed by subsequent firing at Naljuri and Jaliakhola around 11 a.m., an intelligence official told IANS.

He said the firing lasted for several hours.

A teacher, Sari Nonglamin, was hit by a bullet in her right leg at Amdoh between Naljuri and Muktapur villages, he said.

BSF officials could not be reached for comment.

The BDR indulged in fresh 'unprovoked firing' to scare away Indian villagers from cultivating certain patches of land in these areas claiming them to be part of Bangladesh.

'The BDR resorted to firing to scare us from cultivating in our own land,' Manoj Manar, Muktapur village chief, told IANS.

Muktapur, Jaliakhola and Naljuri are about 20 km east of Pyrdiwah village, which were occupied by the BDR in 2001 for days, claiming it to be part of Bangladesh, before they were forced to retreat.

There have been several incidents of exchange of firing between the BSF and the BDR this year due to claims and counter-claims over land by both countries.

Meanwhile, panic-stricken border villagers in Meghalaya have shifted to safer grounds following Tuesday's gunfire.

'The situation is tense. Most of the people, especially women and children, have moved to safer grounds after the gunfire,' Manar said.

On June 4, Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said the joint boundary working group of India and Bangladesh would meet either in July or August to resolve all the boundary disputes between the neighbouring countries.

Of the 4,098-km-long border shared between India and Bangladesh, Meghalaya shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh, part of which is porous, hilly and unfenced and prone to frequent infiltration.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her visit to India had agreed to maintain peace and status quo on the border.

At present there are 551.8 acres of Bangladesh land under adverse possession of India, while 226.81 acres of Indian land is under adverse possession of Bangladesh.

The areas under adverse possession were created when East Pakistan and India demarcated the international boundary in the mid-1960s. There are 11 such areas in Meghalaya.

While Bangladesh is citing documents of 1937, the Indian side relies on land records of 1914 to support its claims.

READ MORE - BSF, Bangladesh Rifles exchange gunfire

Meghalaya CM inaugurates 50-bedded maternity hospital at Tura

Shillong: The newly constructed 50-bedded Maternity and Child Hospital at the old Civil Hospital complex, Tura was inaugurated by Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr. Mukul M. Sangma in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister i/c Health & Family Welfare, Mr. Rowell Lyngdoh, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Mr. Augustine D. Marak and other dignitaries on June 12, 2010 at Tura.

The Hospital, which is the first of its kind in Garo Hills and second in the State, was constructed at a cost of over Rs. 9 crore and would cater exclusively for women and children, particularly, the reproductive health of women and immunization of children. Initially, the hospital would function only with the OPD, but the indoor wards would also start functioning soon.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Mukul said that the hospital was the outcome of the project conceived at the DPDC meeting. He, however, admitted that there were some anomalies in the construction and certain facilities were yet to be in place in order to make it functional to the optimum level. He therefore said that there should be proper coordination while planning important projects like this.

Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner Mr. Sanjay Goyal had, on behalf of the district Health department requested the Chief Minister to provide the required man-power to run the hospital to its fullest capacity, to which Dr. Sangma assured that necessary steps would be taken to make it fully functional without further delay. He however, spoke about the constraints of getting doctors with PG degree, but added that the government is trying its best to ensure that all doctors get capacity building trainings. Dr. Sangma also stressed on the need to build up man-power as health sector was one of the largest job providers in the State. As such, he informed that the government was planning to set up two Medical colleges in the State, one in Shillong to be run on a PPP mode and the other one would be somewhere near Tura. He also said that First Referral Units (FRUs) for treatment of cancer would be started in the State sometime in the month of July. Reiterating the need to have some kind of mechanism to coordinate PHCs, CHCs and Referral centres while referring patients to hospitals, Dr. Sangma said if need arises, the government is willing to sanction one or more posts just to address the problem in the referral centres.

Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Rowell Lyngdoh, while congratulating his department for the achievement, expressed hope that the hospital would provide effective health delivery system for the people of Garo Hills and help to overcome one of the three enemies diseases, illiteracy and poverty, which the State had been fighting for a long time.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Mr. Augustine Marak in his brief address said that the success of a hospital would depend on how it was managed and also called upon the doctors and medical staff to maintain minimum human courtesy while giving their service to the people.

The inaugural programme was chaired by the Deputy Commissioner Mr. Sanjay Goyal, while the Director of Health Services, Shillong Dr. A S. Kynjing gave the welcome address and the Superintendent, Maternity & Child Hospital , Tura Dr.(Mrs.) A. K. Marak proposed the vote of thanks.(MIPR)

READ MORE - Meghalaya CM inaugurates 50-bedded maternity hospital at Tura

Indigenous music fest concludes in Tura

TURA, June 14 – In a grand finale to the 30-day project on “Indigenous music for livelihood”, the A’chik Literature Society organised a valedictory function and display of the trainees’ musical skills on Thursday at the district auditorium here where Rajya Sabha MP Thomas A Sangma was the chief guest.

Sangma expressed happiness that the A’chik Literature Society is making efforts at preserving and reviving the A’chik indigenous musical instruments and added that he was trying to make the voice of the A’chik people heard at the centre.

“It is a matter of great pride that 180 A’chik drummers would present our A’chik drums at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games to be held shortly in New Delhi,” said the MP.

The training workshop, in which 27 boys and 3 girls participated, was sponsored by IGNOU, Shillong, State Resource Centre and the Meghalaya Science and Cultural Society, Shillong. Among the participants who hailed from the three districts of Garo Hills and from Kamrup in Assam, Macker R Marak emerged as the best all rounder.

Following the valedictory function, indigenous musical concert was presented, which included the Orchestra of 30 Chigrings, all bamboo musical instruments orchestra, solo performances of Dimchrang, Sarenda and Gongmina.

READ MORE - Indigenous music fest concludes in Tura

Meghalaya truckers to meet Sonia

Truckers from Meghalaya have decided to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi to expose the unabated extortion racket along the National Highway- 62.
The truckers under the banner of All North East Truck Owners’ and Operators’ Association (ANECTOOA) also accused the ruling Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) coalition government of failing to check the extortion racket which run into several lakhs.
The NH- 62 connects Meghalaya’s Garo Hills and Assam besides Shahlang-Riangdo-Athiabari road in West Khasi Hills.
“We will meet the UPA chairperson (Sonia) and ask her to initiate a CBI probe into the extortion racket. We have lost trust in the Meghalaya government,” ANECTOOA leader Augustine Shanpru said.
Stating that the previous DD Lapang-led government had dismantled all illegal check gates on NH-62 on the directive of Ms Gandhi, the ANECTOOA leader said, “ the new regime (Mukul Sangma-led government) appears to have given oxygen to extortionist with 29 illegal toll gates sprang up again on NH 62.”
“These toll gates are protected by armed men and forced us (truckers) to pay Rs 3,200 per truck per trip amounting to Rs 62 crore,” Shanpru said.
He said a CBI probe is necessary to unravel facts regarding the involvement of some politicians in Meghalaya who are hand-in-glove with people who are manning the illegal check gates.
Earlier, the truckers have also met Meghalaya Governor RS Mooshahary and urged him to direct the Meghalaya government to initiate CBI probe into the rampant illegal collection of money from coal laden trucks.
In the just concluded Assembly session, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the government will adopt zero tolerance and action will be taken against the illegal gates.

READ MORE - Meghalaya truckers to meet Sonia

Success at a cost: The treats & travails of mid-day meal scheme

NEW DELHI: In Meghalaya, teachers of state-run schools waste three crucial hours daily in cooking and serving afternoon meals to students. In Rajasthan, students spend an average of 9.83 hours a week in washing dishes and utensils.

About 75% schools running mid-day meal scheme have no access to drinking water in states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Meghalaya and West Bengal. These are some deficiencies of the country’s most-successful flagship programme, mid-day meal (MDM), as mapped by an official survey.

Launched in 2005, the school meal programme (renamed as cooked mid-day meal or CMDM) is one of the most successful developmental programmes of the government. It aims at protecting children from classroom hunger, increase school enrolment and attendance, check malnutrition and empower underprivileged section of society.

A recent Planning Commission survey to evaluate impact of the scheme at the ground level found several shortcomings in the implementation of the scheme. Many schools do not receive their quota of food grain in a planned manner on a monthly basis while some are overstocked, resulting in breeding of insects.

The survey covered 17 states, 48 districts, 480 schools and 4,800 beneficiary students over period of six years.

Most states did not follow guidelines of the government to deliver food grain at the school point through public distribution system (PDS), thereby resulting in the leakage of food grain, the survey report said. There have been instances where due to long supply chain, the food grain supplied, got pilfered and adulterated, it added.

“The food provided by the government through the PDS is not fit for consumption,” said an official from
the ISKCON foundation. The foundation is carrying out CMDM in various states.

Some experts feel the meal does not provide adequate nutrients to children. “Ideally, the meal should provide one third of the daily calorie requirement. That amounts to 500-600 calories. It can be done only if it is spread over two meals,” said Dr Lakshmaiyah from the National Institute of Nutrition.

He agrees that the scheme involves massive logistics, therefore, providing two meals to all children in the country is not easy.

Preet Rastogi of Institute for Human Development agrees that in many places students and teachers are spending more time in organising mid-day meal than actual studies. “There is a shortage of infrastructure and manpower. Even standards are not followed. Teachers are often compelled to do all the work on their own,” she said. The institute is involved with CMDM.

“In fact, in some schools of Gujarat and Delhi, teachers even spend their own money,” she added. But all are unanimous about its success. As per the survey, many schools have reported 100% increase in attendance. Several evaluation studies, including Amartya Sen’s Pratichi Research Team, endorsed the outcome of the survey.

CMDM has been termed as a social leveller. According to the report, barring few instances, there has been no evidence to suggest that children were discriminated against on the basis of their caste. “The experience of having lunch together erodes case differences and prejudices,” it said.

READ MORE - Success at a cost: The treats & travails of mid-day meal scheme

Load shedding rescheduled in Meghalaya

Shillong: The Chief Executive Officer, Shillong Distribution Circle, Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd., (MeECL), Shillong, has informed that the Load Shedding has been rescheduled with effect from June 11, 2010.
From 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM, load shedding will take effect in Pine Wood, Shillong Club, BSNL, CPMG, Government Press, DC Office, AG, Lachumiere, Bishop Cotton Road, Raj Bhavan, SBI Main Branch, AIR, Main and Additional Secretariat, GAD, Woodland, NL Complex, Kharmalki, Don Bosco, Boyce Road, Survey of India, Upper Oakland, Nongthymmai, Demthring, parts of Madanryting, parts of Police Bazar, PGCIL, MES, Happy Valley, Mawshbuit, Nongkrem and adjoining areas, Laitkor, Lum Jingshai, DIC Industrial Estate, Oakland and adjoining areas upto Shillong Club.
From 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM the areas to be affected are Mawiong, NEHU, Nongrim Hills, Nongshilliang, Bethany Hospital, Jhalupara crematorium, Barapathar, Lower Lummawbah, TB Hospital, Mawlai Iewrynghep, Nongpdeng, Jaiaw, Mawkhar, Wahingdoh, Umsohsun, Laban, Oxford, Civil Hospital, Mawjrong, Laitlyngkot, Mylliem, Mawklot, Upper Shillong upto 4th Mile, Rangbihbih and surrounding areas, New Colony and adjoining areas, Pohkseh, Umpling, Lapalang, Law-U-Sib, Pohktieh, Dum Dum, Rynjah, parts of Nongrah, Sadew upto Mawreng.
From 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM the areas to be affected are Kench’s Trace, Bishnupur, Rilbong, Upper Lummawbah, Umlyngka, Nongkseh, Lawsohtun, Motinagar, Fire Brigade, Risa Colony, Cleve Colony, ISPW, Sunny Hill, Mission Compound, Bara Bazar, Mahari Pump, Lumkshaid, whole of Mawlai except Iewrynghep and Nongpdeng, Robert Hospital, Jaiaw Langsning, Mawpat, Langkyrding, Mawlynrei, Tynring, BSF Mawpat, Atomic Energy, SETUK, MES, S E Falls, parts of Jaiaw, Nongmynsong, parts of Nongrah, BSF Umpling, Pynthorumkhrah, Langkyrding, 5th Furlong.
From 3:00 PM to 4:45 PM the areas to be affected are Mawprem, Upper Mawprem, Qualapaty, Lumdiengjri, Lamavilla, Garikhana, KHADC, Lukier Road, Laitumkhrah, Super Care Hospital, Nazareth Hospital, Madan Laban, Lumparing, Pine Mount, parts of Laban, Nongmalki, Nongshilliang, Lum Balang, Chinapati, Golf Links, Lumshyiap, Chandmari, Polo, Lawmali, Forest Colony, 6th Furlong. EAC HQ, 4th Furlong, Polo Bazar, Demseiniong and adjoining areas, Ganesh Das Hospital, Police Reserve, Quinton Road, parts of Mawlai Nongmali, Mawroh, Mawkynroh, Umshing, Mawtawar areas, Mawngap, Mawphlang.

READ MORE - Load shedding rescheduled in Meghalaya

Talks on for reopening India-Bangladesh border markets

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Friday said the opening of border 'haats' (markets) between India and Bangladesh is in the advanced stage of approval by both neighbouring countries.

The markets will be set up at the border points between Kaliachar in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district and Lawar Ghar in Bangladesh's Sunamganj district and between Balat in West Khasi Hills district and Narayantala in Bangladesh's Sunamganj district.

'Though, there are a number of proposals for reviving the border haats (which were closed down after creation of Bangladesh in 1971), the two places have been selected to establish border markets on a pilot basis,' Sangma told legislators during the question hour in the assembly.

To a query on the criteria for setting up the market, the chief minister said the area should be inaccessible and people residing in the border areas must be inter-dependent with people from across the border to ease economic problems faced by the local populace.

On the regulatory mechanism, Sangma said the government proposed to sell locally-produced agricultural products, fresh and dry fish, poultry, spices, forest products, dairy, and products of local cottage industries including furniture, utensils and iron agricultural equipment.

The weekly markets will be located on the zero line of the international border and it will fenced with barbed wire with entry and exit points on both sides.

Border markets are much-sought among the people on both sides of the border living in remote enclaves and hilly areas as they find it difficult to buy and sell products needed in everyday life.

India had proposed setting up 22 border markets.

What is now the border between the two countries was dotted with markets when India was undivided. Some of them continued to exist until the independence of Bangladesh.

In 2008-09 India imported $277 million worth of products from Bangladesh, while Bangladesh imported products worth $2.84 billion from India, according to the commerce ministry.

READ MORE - Talks on for reopening India-Bangladesh border markets

Elephant population on the decline in Meghalaya

Shillong, June 11 (PTI) Elephant population in Meghalaya is on the decline with the state left with just 1,811 of the gentle giants, officials said today.

As per the last census carried out in 2008, East Khasi Hills district had none, West Khasi Hills had 345, Ri-Bhoi 155, Jaintia Hills 26, East Garo Hills 236, West Garo Hills 216 and South Garo Hills leading with 833 - the highest number of elephants in the state.

Admitting that the pachyderm population was declining, parliamentary secretary advisor Pariong told the Assembly that there were a total of 1,840 elephants in 1998, 1,858 in 2002 and a fall back to 1,811 in 2008.

"Elephant population has decreased to some extent," he observed.

Quizzed by legislator T D Shira if the census figures also took into account elephants 'migrating' to Meghalaya from neighbouring Assam, he said that migration changes from day to day.

READ MORE - Elephant population on the decline in Meghalaya

Meghalaya mulls holding first ever municipal polls

Shillong: Meghalaya government has decided to solicit public opinion on a bill that envisages reforms on the municipal act, paving the way for holding of first ever civic polls in the state since it attained statehood.

The Meghalaya Community Participation Bill will be posted on the website for eliciting public opinion and the process is likely to be over by September, official sources said.

The move has been initiated in a bid to avail the benefit of the ambitious Jawarhalal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

“We want to ensure that once the municipal boards are constituted, there will be maximum participation and space for traditional bodies within the municipal area. The ward committees will be constituted with the involvement of the respective traditional bodies like durbars,” chief minister Mukul Sangma said after a cabinet meeting last night.

In ward committees, there will be ten nominated members, which will include five from the traditional bodies, five, including three women, picked from prominent persons, according to the Bill.

In the elections to the ward commissioners, 80% of the seats will be reserved for ST, while 33% of the seats will be reserved for women.

“The idea is to ensure that the traditional bodies help in preparation of action plans for their areas, execute and supervise them,” Sangma said.

Seeking suggestions from the public, Sangma said the government wants to ensure that the bill is in conformity with the aspirations of the people.

The proposed elections will be held in all the notified municipal areas in the state.

Since the Supreme Court Notification in 2000, there have been at least two attempts to hold the civic body election in the state but on both the government could not go ahead due to opposition from certain quarters on the ground that such an attempt will dilute the credibility of the traditional institutions in the state.

There had been no municipality election in the state since it attained statehood and nominated administrator of the state government governs the municipality boards.

After the Supreme Court had directed the state government to hold the municipal elections following a petition filed by the Non Tribal Youth Union, the government in November 2000 issued notifications for holding elections. Only one person, a Shillong based businessman, Ananta Dey, filed nominations. However, he was shot dead by suspected militants.

READ MORE - Meghalaya mulls holding first ever municipal polls

Meghalaya Dy CM makes unhealthy remark

Shillong, June 12 : Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M Lanong on Wednesday made yet another remark that could well spell trouble for himself and the government. He told the State Assembly that there was no problem with incurable, diseased buffaloes being sold from government farms to the public.

Bindo M Lanong, who heads the Animal Husbandary Ministry, said there could be no problem of government farms selling incurable, diseased buffaloes if people were willing to buy them. "Perhaps the people willing to buy old buffaloes with incurable diseases have a way to cure them with herbal medicines... what can we (government) do about it?" Lanong told legislators during Question Hour.

Lanong, a senior member of United Democratic Party, a constituent of the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance coalition government, last courted countroversy when he called a group of women 'venomous vipers', evoking protest from various women groups.

Stunned with Lanong's reply, the Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators asked if there was any law that prohibited sell of diseased livestock that could pose serious health problems.

Timothy D Shira of the NCP asked whether it wasn't the government's responsibility to safeguard the public's health and if selling diseased buffaloes to the public posed serious health problems.

However, a defiant Lanong reiterated: "Once an animal is sold from the government-run farms, it becomes the responsibility of the buyer and not the government to ensure if the animal is consumed or used for any other purposes."

Lanong made the controversial statement on buffaloes after Nihim D Shira of the NCP inquired about the number of buffaloes at the government-run Songsak Bonegre farm and the criteria for selling them.

The maverick Deputy Chief Minister informed the Assembly that old, incurable, diseased and serious buffaloes were being sold to the public.

He added that excess male calves stock and animals not suitable for breeding was another criteria for selling of buffaloes.

READ MORE - Meghalaya Dy CM makes unhealthy remark

Troops deployed on Naga Hills border

Shillong, June 10 : The government of Assam has deployed troops throughout the 40-mile-long stretch of railway line from Naojan to Lumding of the North East Frontier Railway which runs along Naga Hills border for the protection of railway staff from any possible attack by Naga hostiles.

This decision has been taken by the government following two recent attacks by Naga hostiles on two goods trains resulting in one railway fireman being killed and four others injured.

Meanwhile, the government of Assam has approached the government of India to send more troops for guarding railway line, besides patrolling the border areas, the sources said. Train services in the Lumding-Mariani section remained suspended since June 1.

READ MORE - Troops deployed on Naga Hills border

Financial Assistance To NGOS, VAS in Meghalaya

Shillong: The District Planning Officer and Member Secretary, District Level Empowered Committee, West Garo Hills, Tura has invited proposals for financial assistance from Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) and Voluntary Agencies (VAs) of West Garo Hills.

In a communiqué, the District Planning Officer has stated that application are invited from NGOs and VAs of West Garo Hills for consideration of providing financial assistance from the Voluntary Action Fund (VAF) of the Planning Department, Meghalaya, for the year 2009-10 in accordance with the approved guidelines. The communiqué states that financial assistance under the scheme for the year 2009-10 would include some activities such as short term training, short term seminars, workshop etc. Financial assistance to be sanctioned to the individual NGOs or VAs will further depend on the merit and nature of the scheme it stated.

The proposal of NGOs or VAs will be scrutinized and sanctioned by the District Level Empowered Committee and the guidelines and formats for submission or proposals can be obtained from the District Planning Officer (Deputy Commissioner’s Office Building), West Garo Hills, Tura, during office hours and submitted on or before July 15, 2010. The District Planning Officer has strictly stated that no proposals would be entertained after the fixed date mentioned above.

READ MORE - Financial Assistance To NGOS, VAS in Meghalaya

Secret of longevity of individual is sound mind says Governor of Meghalaya

Shillong: "The secret of longevity of an individual is to have a sound mind and a sound body, but the most important is the mind because if you can mind the mind, the body will mind itself," said the Governor of Meghalaya, Mr. R S Mooshahary, while speaking as the Chief Guest at the Thanksgiving Function to celebrate the 20th Foundation Day of SAN-KER at Mawlai Mawroh, Shillong today, the 9th June, 2010.

While commending on the humanitarian service that the management and staff of SAN-KER has rendered to persons with mental illness, the Governor said that 20 years of selfless service rendered by the institution speaks volume of the strong foundation and a farsighted vision and mission of Dr. S Syiem and his team who have propelled the institution to its present status. While wishing all those who have devoted their lives to the treatment and care of those who suffer from mental illness and who work daily in this valuable and important cause, Mr. Mooshahary called upon every responsible citizens to assist and help the patients in coping with their environment, whether directly or indirectly, because persons with mental illness do better when they have healthy supportive relationships.

While highlighting on child trafficking which is the theme of this year's Souvenir, the Governor said that child trafficking is a most heinous crime and it impacts the mentality of a child leading them to an unstable mind. He added that it not only affects the psyche of the children but leaves them emotionally shattered which in turn leads to listlessness and depression. Therefore he called upon every responsible citizens to work together to address this issue which is prevalent across the globe even in the State of Meghalaya.

Padma Shree Queenie Rynjah, while speaking as the Guest of Honour, congratulated Dr. Syiem for his daring enterprise to venture to such a noble cause and to contribute to the society through selfless service. She lauded the management of staff of SAN-KER for their vision of thoughts to help those who succumb to the evils of substance abuse and others and to transform them into productive members of the family and the society as a whole. Lamenting on the prevalence of child trafficking, she said that it is our duty as citizens to offer help and encourage the people especially the youth to shun evil deeds and be part of a civilized society and she also called upon the people to help in the endeavour of SAN-KER in creating awareness on the ill effects of child trafficking and how to eradicate this menace.

The Managing Trustee, SAN-KER Charitable Trust, in his welcome speech, said that the institution is and continues to remain a place where love and compassion is foremost and where the patient is of prime importance as has been reflected in the institution's motto "- by love, serve one another." He informed the gathering that since humanitarian considerations are foremost, the management realised that it cannot become a commercial organisation and this resulted in the creation of the SAN-KER Charitable Trust recently to manage SAN-KER as a not-for-profit Institution. Dr. Syiem also informed the gathering that for the last 20 years, SAN-KER has provided treatment to about 8000 in-patients where during the last two years alone, that is ending 2009, there are 426 in-patients and out of this 246 are psychiatric patients and 180 are patients suffering from substance abuse disorders. Till ending 2009, there are 15600 out-patients and 34 who attended the day care facility.

Later, a souvenir on the theme "Child Trafficking" was released by the Governor. Earlier, a thanksgiving function was held wherein Rev. Dr. J F Jyrwa, Senior Executive Secretary, Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Assembly led the gathering in prayer and after the end of the function, Most Rev. Dominic Jala, Archbishop Shillong Archdiocese offered the benediction.

In recognition to their selfless and noble service, the Governor also presented the awards to staff who have work with the institution for more than 10 years. A song presented by the inmates of the institution was the other highlight of the day .

READ MORE - Secret of longevity of individual is sound mind says Governor of Meghalaya

Mukul Moves Gogoi After Fresh Assam ‘Encroachment’

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today moved his Assam counterpart after fresh encroachment by Assam along the disputed inter-state boundary areas, asking him to ensure that a 'cordial atmosphere' is maintained in those areas.

Confirming reports that Assam officials were constructing a road and engaging machines for earth-cutting in a "disputed" area in the state’s Jaintia Hills district, Sangma said, "the chief secretary has taken up the issue with his counterpart. I have also spoken to Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi. He said he would verify the reports and take necessary action."

Sangma said such activity by Assam was not in conformity with the decisions taken during the meeting between the two chief ministers in Guwahati last Saturday.

"I have told Mr Gogoi, such developments are irritants, which should be avoided by both the state," Sangma said.

"May be some people do not want to settle the issue. There has to be sustained effort. I am hopeful of a settlement," the chief minister told reporters, underlining the need for enhancing trust between the two states.

Following the reports, a high level meeting was also held today, issuing ‘appropriate action’ to the district administrations to take up the issue with the respective administrations of Assam. More

Earlier, the government came in line of Opposition NCP’s fire in the assembly following the reports of fresh encroachment by Assam, less than a week after the two states agreed to constitute a chief secretary-level panel to address the long-pending border dispute.

"Assam has broken the assurance given at the meeting between the two chief ministers last Saturday that status quo would be maintained," Opposition leader Conrad Sangma said.

"It is an insult to the Meghalaya Chief Minister as well as the state of Meghalaya. It appears that the CM-level meeting had no significance. The government should come clear on the minutes of the meeting to instill confidence among the people," Conrad observed in at the assembly, demanding a statement from the Chief Minister.

Reports said Assam was preparing to set up a border observation post at Khatkasla, and constructing a road to connect it with Psiar, another disputed tract.

Earlier, on Saturday, the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya, during a meeting in Guwahati, had decided to constitute a chief secretary level committee to resolve the vexed boundary dispute.

READ MORE - Mukul Moves Gogoi After Fresh Assam ‘Encroachment’

No problem selling diseased buffaloes to public: Lanong

Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M. Lanong Wednesday made yet another remark that could well spell trouble for himself and the government. He told the state assembly that there was no problem with incurable, diseased buffaloes being sold from government farms to the public.

Bindo M. Lanong, who heads the animal husbandary ministry, Wednesday said there could be no problem of government farms selling incurable, diseased buffaloes if people were willing to buy them.

'Perhaps the people willing to buy old buffaloes with incurable diseases have a way to cure them with herbal medicines... what can we (government) do about it?' Lanong told legislators during question hour.

Lanong, a senior member of United Democratic Party, a constituent of the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance coalition government, last courted countroversy when he called a group of women 'venomous vipers', evoking protest from various women groups.

Stunned with Lanong's reply, the opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators asked if there was any law that prohibited sell of diseased livestock that could pose serious health problems.

Timothy D. Shira of the NCP asked whether it wasn't the government's responsibility to safeguard the public's health and if selling diseased buffaloes to the public posed serious health problems.

However, a defiant Lanong reiterated: 'Once an animal is sold from the government-run farms, it becomes the responsibility of the buyer and not the government to ensure if the animal is consumed or used for any other purposes.'

Lanong made the controversial statement on buffaloes after Nihim D. Shira of the NCP inquired about the number of buffaloes at the government-run Songsak Bonegre farm and the criteria for selling them.

The maverick deputy chief minister informed the assembly that old, incurable, diseased and serious buffaloes were being sold to the public.

He added that excess male calves stock and animals not suitable for breeding was another criteria for selling of buffaloes.

READ MORE - No problem selling diseased buffaloes to public: Lanong

Few doctors ready to serve in rural Meghalaya: Sangma

SHILLONG - Medical specialists in Meghalaya would rather resign from government service than serve in rural areas, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said here Tuesday.

“The specialists are reluctant to go to rural areas and so there is this constraint before the government to run hospitals,” Sangma told legislators during question hour in the state assembly.

He also cited an example of a doctor who resigned from his post after he was posted in Tura, considered one of the most developed towns in Garo Hills.

He said finding doctors to be posted in rural areas, especially in public and community health centres, has been the biggest constraint in running government hospitals to their potential.

A large number of doctors refuse to go on transfer to remote areas in Meghalaya due to lack of infrastructure and other facilities in those areas.

Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh said that since the government was facing a problem, efforts were on to deploy specialists on a contractual basis.

“We are looking at various ways to overcome this constraint and one of them is appointing specialists on a contractual basis,” Lyngdoh told the assembly.

The previous government had adopted 22 health centres in rural areas on public private partnership (PPP) mode to make them functional.

READ MORE - Few doctors ready to serve in rural Meghalaya: Sangma

Mukul to examine plan to shift jail

Shillong, Jun 8 : The Meghalaya government will explore the possibilities of shifting Shillong Jail from the heart of the city on Jail Road to the outskirts.

During Question Hour in the Assembly today, Independent legislator Manas Chaudhuri brought to the notice of the government that the jailbreaks and the shootouts have very often inconvenienced people as Shillong Jail is situated in a busy area.

The minister-in-charge of home (jails), Augustine Marak, assured the House that the suggestion of shifting the Shillong Jail from the city would be examined.

Shillong does not have a central jail with modern facilities and the present Shillong Jail complex, built during the British period, has only added a few new buildings. The jail caters to East and West Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi districts, so overcrowding has become the order of the day.

There were suggestions from various quarters in the past to decongest Shillong Jail or shift it to a new area on outskirts of the town.

To a question by James Sangma (NCP), Marak admitted that the jails in Shillong, Tura, Williamnagar and Jowai are overcrowded. While the total capacity of these jails is 540, the total number of prisoners confined in them is 627.

The minister said the government would seriously make efforts to decongest jails in the state. A jail at Nongpoh in Ri Bhoi district is nearing completion and the government is also planning to construct another at Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills, he added.

Marak said one more barrack would be set up in Shillong Jail, which houses 263 prisoners, compared to the actual capacity of 150, as part of the de-congestion plan.

Regarding the steps taken to reform the inmates of the prisons, the minister said the prison department had taken initiatives to appoint carpentry and craft instructors in all the jails in the state to impart vocational training to the jail inmates.

He said that the amount spent on jail reforms for the year 2009-10 was Rs 11 lakh.

READ MORE - Mukul to examine plan to shift jail

Shillong NGO moves PM Scanner on quality of foodgrain - Shillong NGO moves PM

Shillong, June 8 : An NGO here has sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention in allegations of supply of substandard foodgrain to the poor in Meghalaya, leading to a high infant and maternal mortality rate.

The chairman of Mait Shaphrang Movement, Michael Syiem, today told reporters that on March 1, in an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to the Prime Minister’s Office, had apprised Singh of low-quality foodgrain supplied to the state.

“I wanted the Prime Minister to take note of the matter so that perennial complaints about the quality of foodgrain can be sorted out,” Syiem said.

According to him, consumption of low-quality foodgrain has made many villagers, especially women and children, ill.

“I have received several complaints from the villagers of West Khasi Hills that foodgrain they receive are of very poor quality,” Syiem said. He said several residents of Laban had complained to him that they were getting sugar which is black in colour. Irregular distribution of wheat in the state is also a matter of concern, according to him.

Syiem suggested setting up of FCI godowns in all the district headquarters for monitoring the quality of foodgrain.

According to him, if sealed packets are distributed directly to the fair price shops, the consumers will get quality products. He also wanted the deputy commissioners to keep a regular check on the quality of the foodgrain.

In September last year, a five-member delegation of the Central Vigilance Commission led by former Supreme Court judge D.P. Wadhwa attended a public hearing on the public distribution system here.

Syiem said the situation improved a little after that, but worsened thereafter.

House resolution

The Meghalaya Assembly today passed a resolution in favour of administrator’s rule in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council amid criticism from the Opposition.

On April 1, the state cabinet recommended deputy commissioner’s rule in the council amid claims and counter claims of majority support by both the Congress and the NCP.

The council has been kept under suspended animation.

District council affairs minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh while rejecting the Opposition’s demand for election of the council’s chief executive member in the future, said the current situation was not conducive to hold elections.

“Once we are satisfied, we would immediately revoke the administrator’s role,” Lyngdoh said.

As the anti-defection law is not applicable in the district councils, instances of members of the district councils changing allegiance are common.

READ MORE - Shillong NGO moves PM Scanner on quality of foodgrain - Shillong NGO moves PM