By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The recent initiative of two NCP MPs from the State — Agatha Sangma and Thomas Sangma – to revive Baljek Airport has not gone down well the State Congress.
In a statement the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Monday termed the action of MPs “as a ploy to fool the people of the State.”
It may be mentioned that the two NCP MPs had recently met the Civil Aviation minister Ajit Singh on the status of the airport.
The MPCC acting president Deborah Marak said, “It is under the personal initiative of Dr Mukul Sangma that necessary land was acquired for the airport and the State Government had given all mandatory clearances to make the airport operational at the earliest. According to her, the MPs instead of requesting the Civil Aviation Ministry should have taken up the matter with the State Government.
Even the Transport minister AT Mondal also claimed that the Baljek airport belongs to the State Government and it could not be made operational “since it lacks certain facilities”.
“The Chief Minister is taking special interest to make this airport functional and he has even met the concerned minister in the Centre and related agencies to ensure its early completion,” Mondal added.
Meanwhile, NCP leader James Sangma came down heavily on Deborah Marak for her statement saying, “This project is under the Civil Aviation Ministry and it is implemented by the Airport Authority of India (AAI).”
He said, “two MPs do not require the permission of Deborah Marak to meet the Union Minister.”