TURA: The Meghalaya unit of the BJP has accused the Congress government in the State of failing to fulfill the aspirations of the people and citing the ‘poor’ state of affairs in the Garo Hills where it alleged there was a total breakdown of law and order with no visible sign of development reaching the people who need it the most.
A high level BJP delegation led by its new state president Shibun Lyngdoh including national executive member and ex-MLA Edmund K Sangma, state vice president and former MLA Billykid A Sangma, party leaders Bernard Marak and Anil Hajong undertook a three day tour of the Garo Hills with visits to the plain belt region and the tribal dominated hill areas to meet with people at the grass root level.
Speaking to reporters on their return to Tura on Wednesday morning, BJP chief Shibun Lyngdoh said that at every visit in the rural areas people came forward with their grievances and lamented that no visible development had taken place.
“We received so many complaints from the public regarding the poor condition of the roads maintained by the State government (PWD) and there was a general fear in the minds of the people due to the deteriorating law and order problem. We intend to take these matters up with the State government and also notify the centre about the situation in the Garo Hills,” said Lyngdoh.
He also alleged that important Central schemes meant for farmers and the poor including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi were not being given due importance by the State government.
The PMJDY is a national mission for financial inclusion to ensure access to financial services such as bank savings and deposit accounts, credit, insurance, pension in an affordable manner. The BJP delegation also informed that Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), who work in the rural areas to create awareness on health and its social determinants and mobilize the community towards local health planning and increased utilization and accountability of the existing health services, have not received their remuneration from the State government for the last several months.
“We will take up the matter as to why ASHA workers have not been paid till date since they play a very important role in the health sector,” said the BJP chief.
National executive member from Meghalaya and former MLA, Edmund K Sangma, added that during their visit to Bajengdoba, a day earlier, they learnt that families who had lost their homes in the 2014 devastating floods and landslides had not received adequate compensation, till date.
“The families who lost everything have received a meager amount as compensation while others have benefitted. This is something that needs to be probed,” demanded Sangma.
Taking a dig at the government for neglecting Tura town in improving basic amenities, BJP chief Shibun Lyngdoh questioned as to why the residents of the town have to face water shortage every year.
“Tura is the second largest town in the State and the most important centre of Garo Hills, yet, it has to face the annual problem of water shortage despite the commissioning of the Tura Phase III project. All these grievances have been collected by our party workers and very soon we will be meeting in Shillong to raise these issues,” said Lyngdoh.
