SHILLONG: The East Khasi Hills district administration has granted permission to three pressure groups to hold sit-in protest on Wednesday against the railway project in the State.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner P.S Dkhar said the agitating groups – the Federation of Khasi-Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) and Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF) – have been “told clearly that they should not take out any rally” and there should not be law and order problem in the city.
“They have given in writing that they will be held responsible if anything happens in the city during the demonstration,” Dkhar said.
The demonstration will be held at the CTO parking lot near the Additional Secretariat.
In spite of the assurance, the police are leaving no stone unturned and additional deployment, including of Special Force (SF-10) and CRPF commandos, will be made in different parts of the city during the demonstration.
East Khasi Hills SP Davis Marak said police have made elaborate security arrangement and “enough police will be deployed at the venue of the protest”.
The police will use their own videography team to record the proceedings. All CCTV cameras in the city have been calibrated for strict vigil.
The police have advised the traffic control department to be alert to ensure that there are no road blocks in the city. “We hope that the demonstration will be peaceful,” said Marak.
KHADC for rail project halt
KHADC chief executive member P.N Syiem said on Tuesday the Council would write to the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and the State Government to halt the construction of railway.
Replying to a query by Congress MDC K.S Marbaniang as to whether the Executive Committee has issued any NOC to the railway project in Byrnihat, Syiem answered in negative.
Congress’s P.T Sawkmie flayed the KHADC for having a ‘soft corner’ approach while dealing with railway authorities.
Later, speaking to reporters, he demanded that the railway project be scrapped.
