James moves motion, leaves without reply
The Assembly witnesses a funny incident on Tuesday when Ronchugiri NCP legislator James K Sangma left the House without waiting to hear the reply of Education Minister Prof RC Laloo to a motion he had move earlier relating to the Education department with specific reference to salary and arrears of college teachers.
When Prof Laloo began his reply to the motion, some of the members noticed that the Ronchugiri legislator was not present in the House. Chairman Lakhmen Rymbui then sought the consent of the members on whether to extend the session till the motion was disposed.
Members from the ruling side, however, mentioned that it was useless to extent the session since the mover of the motion was not present.
‘Vigilance cell set up to check corruption in State’
In a bid to check corruption in Meghalaya, the State Government has created a vigilance cell in the Political department.
Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma made this announcement in House while replying to a question by Opposition leader Conrad K Sangma.
The Chief Minister informed that the vigilance cell which is headed by the Chief Secretary would have the authority to direct the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) to register complaints of corruption.
Dr Sangma, in his reply to some queries, informed that till date a total of six cases have been referred to the Bureau out of which three cases were pending.
On the measures being taken by the State Government to check corruption, the Chief Minister said that the office of the Lokayukta would soon be set up in Meghalaya.
When the Opposition leader sought to know the reason for the delay in appointing the Lokayukta, the Chief Minister responsed, saying that the matter was being followed up with the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court.
Participating in the discussion, Speaker Charles Pyngrope informed that the matter has been discussed with the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court. He also urged the Chief Minister and the Opposition leader to pursue the matter with the Chief Justice.
Ban on private tuitions
Education Minister Prof RC Laloo on Tuesday said that government could extend the ban on the practice of private tuitions to higher secondary schools and colleges only if the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 permitted the same.
Prof Laloo’s reply came in response to a query by Independent legislator Manas Chaudhuri who wanted to know if the ban on private tuitions could be extended to include higher secondary and college teachers.
Prof Laloo also informed that at present teachers of elementary schools are banned from taking private tuitions as per Clause 28 of the RTE Act.
‘Tynsong should step down’
Opposition leader Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday came down hard on Forest and Environment Prestone Tynsong, seeking his resignation for being callous in his approach to matters concerning the environment.
“We cannot have a person holding the charge of the Forest and Environment department who takes the suggestion on the need to have a State Environment Policy as a joke,” Sangma said during Question Hour in the Assembly.
The Opposition leader had sought to know the status of the State Environment policy to which the Forest and Environment Minister replied that they were following the policy formulated by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
Sangma then spoke on the need to have a separate policy considering the condition and unique geographical location of the State and pointed out that the government had not followed up on the issue inspite of the fact that he had raised the issue on several occasions in the past.
Sangma demanded a categorical response from the Forest and Environment Minister, to which Tynsong, in a funny tone, stated that this was the first time that the issue had been raised before him.
Taking strong exception, the Opposition leader stated that this attitude on the part of the Minister clearly shows his lack of concern over issues concerning the environment.