Tackling GNLA in Garo Hills
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State NP has come down heavily on the Congress-led MUA Government for taking the help from ANVC to tackle the nascent militant outfit — GNLA.
Addressing newsmen here on Monday, the Opposition leader in the State Assembly Conrad Sangma said “the State Government should take steps which are meant to be taken for tackling the militant outfits.”
“ANVC is a separate entity and they are not a part of the Government,” Sangma said.
The ANVC, under ceasefire with the Central Government, recently expressed its desire to help the State Government in eliminating the GNLA and the State Government immediately accepted the offer.
Stating that the law and order situation in Garo Hills had been deteriorating with each passing day, Sangma accused the State Government of not paying enough attention to the prevailing situation there.
“The Chief Minister or the Home Minister should regularly visit Garo Hills to assess the ground reality,” the NCP leader said.
The State Government in the bid to nullify the GNLA has deployed several companies of COBRA and BSF personnel in certain stretches of Garo Hills.
“Innocent people should not be harassed in the name operation against militants,” Sangma further asserted.
It may be mentioned here that the GNLA recently threatened to blow up offices of political parties including NCP and Congress.
Reacting to the threat, Sangma said, “ruling MLAs are given 10 to 15 police personnel when they visit Garo Hills while the Opposition MLAs get services of two to three PSOs.”
Umiam dam: Referring to a recent report about superficial cracks in Umiam dam, the NCP leader asked the State Government to reinforce it at the earliest.
Sangma said, “The life span of the dam, which was created in the 1960s, is over and if it breaks then that would be an end to connectivity of Meghalaya with the rest of the country.” “It is high time for the State Government to take steps to reinforce the dam,” Sangma added.
Non-release of scheme: Sangma alleged that the State Government is yet to release 40 per cent of the Special Rural Works Programme scheme for the year 2010-2011.
The leader of Opposition said “the MLAs have not been able to complete their works due to the non-release of the remaining portion of the scheme.”
It is learnt that the MLAs have not even received any letter for the Special Rural Works Programme scheme 2011-2012. According to Sangma, implementation other schemes like IACDP and ISYDP is also affected due to the non-release of 40 per cent of the scheme. “Government must deliver what is meant to be delivered and this Government has failed to deliver in a proper way,” Sangma added.