Rajya Sainik Board meet: Setting up of Ecological Battalion tops the agenda
in the city on Thursday. (ST)
SHILLONG: The State Government will seek Rs 200 crore from the Centre for implementing different projects including setting up of the much-awaited ‘Meghalaya Ecological Battalion’.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has already been in touch with the Centre in this connection.
This was disclosed during the 19th meeting of the Rajya Sainik Board, which was attended by Sangma among others, on Thursday.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Rajya Sainik Board Director, Brigadier (Retd.) W.J.B. Sturgeon said that the Meghalaya Government at first would raise a company of the battalion with three officers, five JCOs and 139 others.
The battalion’s task will be restoration of ecology across the State and a company each would be deployed across seven districts of the State to carry out environmental awareness programmes.
Similarly, the issue of raising the ‘Home and Hearth’ battalion was also discussed and this proposed battalion will have the strength of 1500 personnel.
The battalion will be an intelligence gathering unit to assist Meghalaya Police, Central paramilitary forces, Army, Air Force, and other intelligence agencies based in Shillong.
The State Government has agreed to the idea of opening a Sainik school at Garobadha near Tura and 50 acres of land will be required for the project, Brig Sturgeon said, adding that the estimated budget would be around Rs.80 crore and money would be provided by the State Government.
Apart from these, the State Government has also approved construction of Sainik Rest House at Shillong and Tura and creation of five Welfare Organizers Posts at Nongpoh, Baghmara, Williamnagar, Nongstoin and Jowai.