Citizens’ forum asks for better edu, health facilities

TURA: A delegation from a citizens’ forum here held a series of meetings with ministers and bureaucrats in Shillong on the poor quality of education and healthcare in Rongram.
The eight-member delegation of the Rongram Area Citizens’ Forum (RACF) met Minister of School Education and Literacy Deborah C Marak at the Main Secretariat in Shillong recently. The team, led by Forum president Roger Benny A Sangma and general secretary Anuj R Marak, apprised the minister about the deterioration in the education sector in Garo Hills, particularly Rongram that has no good institute despite being the oldest town in the region.
RACF urged Marak to facilitate the setting up of a higher secondary institute and a degree college in Rongram. The minister assured them that she would look into the matter.
Later, the delegation also met Parliamentary Secretary in charge Health and Family Welfare Sengnam Marak where they raised the issue of poor facilities at Asanang PHC. The delegation said due to lack of facilities at the health centre, patients with minor ailments were also being referred to Tura Civil Hospital.
The delegation said the PHC and CHC should be upgraded and more medical staff be appointed keeping in mind the increasing population in the area.