By Our Reporter
Shillong: The Synjuk ki Rangbah Shnong Border Areas bordering Bangladesh, a conglomerate of village headmen, have urged the Chief Engineer of PWD, Roads, to immediately allot the works to contractors which were tendered recently by PWD from Ranikor to Nongjri, a distance of 26 kms.
In a resolution adopted recently, the general meeting of the Association which was chaired by Jupiter N Marweiñ, has resolved to urge the Chief Engineer to implement the 22 crore road project sanctioned by the Commerce Ministry five years ago in order to solve the communication problems faced by the people living in the trade zones of the international borders with Bangladesh.
In another resolution, the meeting has warned against illegal extraction of coal on both sides of the PWD road from Ranikor-Nonghyllam-Nongjri Road. The DC of West Khasi Hills had earlier imposed a section CrPC prohibiting the dangerous forms of coal extraction on both sides of the PWD road yet miners went on with illegal extraction undeterred.
The meeting has also urged the PWD to immediately repair a portion of the road from Lailad to Borsora (a coal export road) which has not been restored following a 2010 landslide.
It may be recalled that the Association since 2010, had been demanding from Meghalaya State PWD to black top this and other border roads which are the mainstay of export and other economic activities of the important southern sector of Meghalaya. In fact, Meghalaya through DMR is taxing heavily on exports of coal and lime stones to Bangladesh and its legal annual collection alone from this ranges between Rs.800 to 1000 crore.
It may be mentioned that the ground repairs and maintenance of PWD roads in this part of the coal and lime stone belts is being done by Meghalaya Mine Owners and Exporters’ Association and the Synjuk ki Rangbah shnong during the last five years and not by the PWD.
