Don’t link all projects with excuses like influx or uranium mining: Pala
SHILLONG: In a veiled attack on ‘pressure groups’ of the State, Lok Sabha member from Shillong, Vincent H. Pala, accused them of sabotaging all development activities in the State with the excuse of uranium mining and influx and called for debates to understand the pros and cons of such projects.
“Be it airport, national highways or railways, people here often look at these project with suspicion of either bringing influx or to mine uranium. But these are mere excuses. People need to debate on the matter,” said Pala said while speaking to media persons after inaugurating a community hall here on Monday.
According to Pala, with the growing problem of unemployment and traffic mismanagement, Shillong definitely requires an airport, railways and national highways even as he added that developmental project should not be confined to Shillong only but should be extended to rural areas of the State.
He pointed out that many parts of the State have rich uranium and limestone deposits and it is wrong to create suspicion in the minds of people that projects are being taken up for facilitating uranium mining or to promote influx.
“I feel it should be the other way round. If there is uranium mining in any place, more roads and national highways should be constructed,” Pala said.
He also asserted that developmental programmes in the State cannot be implemented until and unless there is cooperation from the public.
Stating that the government and its developmental projects are often criticized, the MP said the delay in taking up the projects often forces the government to divert such developmental projects to other areas and it is only the State and its people which suffer in the long run.
He admitted that all projects had their own merits and demerits and people should look at the pros and cons of the project before taking a final opinion on any project.
“If certain groups are objecting to a project why should we look at them? We should look for the benefit of the entire population,” Pala said.
Pala also slammed the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council alleging that the council has not issued NOC for some projects for a long time now.
He stated that GHADC has already issued NOC for two road projects to link Khasi Hills with Garo Hills but the KHADC has not issued the NOC for the important road projects.