The Shillong Times - Established 1945

SHILLONG, May 28: The opposition All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has given the MDA government a rap on the knuckles for not taking cognizance of the alleged irregularities and corruption and purportedly posing as an accused instead. The AITC’s attack on the government is in reference to the name of Cabinet Minister James PK Sangma surfacing as the possible “mastermind” of clever manipulation of system, relating to siphoning off Meghalaya’s coal resources to Bangladesh. “The whole inputs coming from different angles…

SHILLONG, May 28: The state government has sought an explanation from the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) on the eviction of the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH), Shillong from the old NIFT campus without a notice being served. Principal Secretary (Health), Sampath Kumar on Saturday said it was an unfortunate incident that called for an explanation and as such, the government asked for it. There is a process but the procedure adopted in this case is completely wrong. It is a serious thing, he added. The IIPH,…

SHILLONG, May 28: A week after the dome of upcoming Meghalaya Legislative Assembly building at the New Shillong Township collapsed, the authorities sealed the project’s construction site. The incident had triggered widespread criticism and raised questions on the quality of work undertaken. Some media persons visited the site on Saturday but the police personnel deployed there prevented them from entering the premises. Some persons, including labourers, were seen inside. A government vehicle (ML 01) was seen coming out of…

SHILLONG, May 28: The chairman of the Regional Committee for West Khasi Hills, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar on Saturday said Meghalaya gained 23 villages within the jurisdiction of his panel and lost two villages because of the will of the people to be in Assam. This, he said, underlined the efficiency of the committee he headed. Asked about the growing opposition to the border pact in West Khasi Hills, Tongkhar said many villages are part and parcel of Meghalaya but people are presuming they have been gifted to Assam. “We…

SHILLONG, May 28: The alleged shoddy construction of different government projects has riled not just some political parties and organisations but also the citizens of the state. Retired bureaucrat and social activist, Toki Blah criticised the state government for its alleged poor attention to good governance. “It seems they just want to finish their five years, no matter what happens and what their ministers are doing,” Blah said. He alleged the ministers are awarding contracts for the construction of bridges, buildings…

SHILLONG, May 28: Centre’s plan to connect all the state capitals in the Northeastern region continues to encounter a stumbling block in Meghalaya in the form of people’s objection to augmenting the state with rail link. Amid this vehement opposition to the idea of introducing railways in the state, Transport Minister Dasakhiatbha Lamare has asserted that the state cannot stop the Centre from doing anything, even as he pointed out that it cannot also impose any decision on the people. A section of people fear that…

SHILLONG, May 28: President of the Khasi Students' Union (KSU), Lambokstar Marngar said the government’s bid to legalise gambling in the state is at variance with its avowed attention to the development of the youth. He said this at the Fr. Sylvanus Sngi Lyngdoh Academic Award ceremony organised by the KSU at the auditorium of the District Library in Nongpoh, Ri-Bhoi district on Saturday. Marngar said the gambling-related announcement was very disheartening and wondered  if gambling would help improve education or ensure…