Govt U-turn on headmen, UCIL marked 2016

SHILLONG: The State Government vacillated twice on its decisions in 2016 under pressure from various quarters.
The first instance when the State made a U-turn was with regard to the Meghalaya Services (Conduct) Rules, 2015, which after amendment stipulated that public servants should furnish information to the Government on holding other offices.
This was meant to restrict government servants from holding the posts of headmen.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had said the Government came up with the amendment since it did not want any room for misinterpretation.
Explaining the amendments, Sangma had pointed out that faith-based and clan-based organisations were excluded from the term community-based organisation, association, traditional body or society.
The Cabinet had approved the amendment of Rule 20 of the Services Conduct Rules that read, “No member of the service cell except     with the previous sanction of the government can hold office in a community-based organization, association, traditional body or society.”
This came under criticism from various quarters, including political parties, who cried for revoking the rule. The Government had to withdraw it.
In another instance, the State Government had to face embarrassment when a decision on UCIL mining lease in West Khasi Hills led to statewide protests.
The Cabinet under D.D Lapang on August 24, 2009, had decided to lease out a plot of land measuring 422 hectares in South West Khasi Hills for 30 years to Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to carry out pre-mining activities.
Later, Sangma, who was also part Lapang led government, said any initiative to carry out pre-mining activity should not be done without taking the people of the State on board.
The cabinet which met in August this year revoked the decision to lease out land for UCIL.
The decision was in the wake of UCIL floating an expression of interest to carry out uranium mining activities.