Seek Centre’s help to resolve boundary issue: Roy to Govt
Donkupar Roy (UDP) on Friday emphasized the need to resolve the long-pending inter-State boundary dispute with Assam at the earliest, saying that the House ‘is lucky to have Congress MLAs who have the blessings of both Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’ and with their intervention a permanent solution could be found to this problem. “It would be a huge boost to the State if the Congress-led Government in the State can convince the Union Government to amend the North Eastern Areas (Re-organization), 1971 by bringing the Khasi and Jaintia dominated areas in Block I and II back to Meghalaya,” the UDP president said. Roy also pointed out that the boundary disputes with Assam was not restricted to only Langpih or Pilangkata, but also in areas under Block I and Block II, which are being claimed by Assam.
PM should not campaign in State elections: UDP prez
UDP president Donkupar Roy has questioned the claim of Governor RS Mooshahary that the election in Meghalaya was free, fair and peaceful, saying that he was not sure if the election was free and fair considering that the Prime Minister of the country had himself campaigned for a particular political party. “I do not think it is right for the Prime Minister to meddle with the State politics if election is to be held among equals,” Roy said while moving an amendment motion on the Governor’s Address in the Assembly on Friday. He also said that the Prime Minister should not campaign in State elections in the future. Raising doubts on the credibility of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in last month’s Assembly election, the veteran legislator said, “I do not know how you term the election as free and fair when people do not have confidence in the functioning of EVMs.”
Demand for separate women battalion in State
Highlighting the increase in incidents of crime against women in the State, Dr Donkupar Roy (UDP) on Friday pressed on the need to create a separate woman battalion in the State on an urgent basis. “I fell woman can perform their duties better when compared to their male counterparts,” he pointed out in the Assembly. Praising Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma for giving the charge of the Home Department to a capable woman legislator (Roshan Warjri), Roy said he was confident that the woman Home Minister would be able to keep a check on the rising crime against women in the State. While lauding the State police personnel for their achievements in Counter Insurgency (CI) operations, he expressed reservations on the discipline of the police personnel who are posted in various police stations and outposts. “I have personally witnessed police personnel in an inebriated condition while on duty during the night hours,” Roy said, while adding that the drunken police personnel should not be allowed to carry on with their duties during the night. “It is the presence of these few personnel which is defaming the whole police force,” the Shella legislator stated. Roy also expressed happiness that the two more Indian Reserve Battalions would be set up in the State.
Concern over pathetic condition of roads in State
UDP legislator Donkupar Roy on Friday expressed concern on the deteriorating condition of roads in the State. Stating that roads have always been considered as the backbone for development and progress, Roy said, “The pathetic road condition in the State has affected the economic activities of the people in the rural areas. The Government should take serious cognizance on the steps which are required to be taken on how to improve the condition of the roads,” he added. The senior UDP legislator regretted the fact that black-topped roads do not last long especially after the heavy monsoon rain. “We have seen that the roads get deteriorated as soon as the monsoon arrives. The Government would have to consider the option of looking for an alternative by starting to construct RCC roads in the State as a pilot project in those areas which receives the highest amount of rainfall during the monsoon,” Dr Roy said. The UDP president also took a dig at Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma, by stating that he would like to congratulate the Chief Minister for having constructed the best roads in his constituency (Ampati), while majority of the roads in other parts of the State remain in a pathetic condition.
District status for Sohra sought
UDP legislator Donkupar Roy, who was elected from Shella, has pleaded that Sohra deserved to be upgraded as a district as it is the oldest Civil Sub-Division in the State. “Compared to the other existing sub-divisions, Sohra has all the requisite infrastructures required for a district,” Roy said while participating in the debate on the Governor’s Address in the Assembly on Friday. Stating that Sohra is famous across the globe for its scenic beauty, Roy said that it was in Sohra where the education system in the State first took shape. “Taking all these into consideration, I think it is time that the long cherished dream of the people of Sohra to have a district becomes a reality,” the Shella legislator said. Roy also pointed out that creation of the new district and civil sub-division would help to bring administration closer to the people. Roy also expressed surprise that the Governor’s Address did not have any mention of new districts even though Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma, during an election campaign in Mairang, had hinted that Mairang is likely to have its own district. He also suggested that the Government should start constructing roads along the villages close to the international border with Bangladesh to facilitate trading activities. “We need to tap the growing economy of Bangladesh by allowing our people to have trade transactions in areas which are the main commercial hubs of our neighbouring nation,” the UDP legislator said.