Legal services camp to be held in Selsella
TURA: The District Legal Services Authority in West Garo Hills will be holding a ‘Legal Services Camp’ at Agipeng Ground in Selsella on March 22 during which various government departments will be putting up stalls for providing awareness about various government welfare schemes and the required procedures for obtaining them.
The camp will start at 10am and participants are to bring their documents along with them while attending the programme. Residents of villages like Bolsalgre, Domagitok, Simbukol, Mandagre, Wajatagre, Kalchengpara, Singimari, Tokitgre, Damalgre, Agipeng, Haldibari, Rajanggola, Marok, Dodoretgre, Babetapara, Baklagre and others under Selsella Community and Rural Development Block, are requested to participate in the camp. Awareness camps are being organised by all the state legal services authorities to educate people regarding their entitlements and appraise them about the availability of free legal services. In most camps, it has been observed that focus is only on awareness and that there is a need redirect focus from awareness to empowerment. To achieve this, the new delivery based model of holding legal services camp is required which would not only make people aware about their entitlement and procedural aspects but also connect them to welfare schemes meant for them.
RBSU wants govt college in Umroi
SHILLONG: Ri Bhoi Students’ Union on Thursday urged the newly elected chief minister to set up a government college in Umroi.
The union said there is only one college in the district and that cannot cater to students from Mawhati, Umroi and Umsning.
The union, during its meeting with Conrad Sangma, explained the difficulties faced by students who have to travel long distances to attend classes.
Sangma assured the union that he would look into the matter but informed the members that the government is facing financial constraints at present.
In a memorandum submitted to the chief minister, the union had pointed out that students from Mawhati, Umroi and Umsning waste their time and money while travelling to Nongpoh.
Widening of road
In another memorandum to the CM, the union requested the chief minister to widen the existing NH-40 from Umtrew Bridge to Umsning-Mawhati-Jagiroad junction and upgrade the Umsning-Mawhati-Jagiroad from a single to a two lane road and declare it as a new National Highway.
The upgradation of the road will provide employment to more than 1,500 villagers in Umsning and Mawhati. It will also be a permanent alternative for those travelling to Upper Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, the union added. The delegation said the Cabinet Committee on economic affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on March 22, 2017, approved constructing 52-km roads in Meghalaya and 351 km in Mizoram at an estimate cost of Rs 6,721 crore.
In this connection, the union urged the CM to allot extra distance of 40 km for widening of Umtrew Bridge Umsning-Mawhati-Jagiroad junction.
‘Farmer Field Day’ held at Umiam
SHILLONG: A Farmer Field day was organised by the Division of Crop Production in collaboration with ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hills Region at Umiam on Thursday.
The purpose of the event was to sensitize and throw light over the processes of enhancing pulse and oilseed production by adopting eco-friendly agricultural practices under the changing climate with funding under the Tribal Sub Plan which is a national flagship program.
Thus, the objective was to equip hill farmers with skills including essential technical and practical knowledge for effective utilization of rice and maize fallows in order to achieve better income, nutritional security and environmental sustainability. The program started with an introduction by Dr. M. Thoithoi Devi, Scientist (Agronomy), which was followed by Dr. Krishnappa, Scientist (Crop Physiology) and Dr. Jayanta Layek, Scientist (Agronomy) to elucidate on the importance of cultivating various leguminous and oilseed crops in rice/maize fallow for enhancing soil fertility.
Dr. Pankaj, Scientist (Agricultural Extension) elaborated on the successful methods of generating optimum farm income from the unit area of farmers’ field with available resources by taking interest in the adoption of various allied agricultural activities such as poultry raising and mushroom cultivation. Besides the field demonstrations related to agricultural practice, the farmers were also introduced to the cultivation of various horticultural crops by Dr. M. Bilashini Devi, Scientist (Vegetable Science) who explained the effectiveness of advanced germination technology for raising seedlings in soil-less media. She also educated farmers on methods of cultivating various horticultural crops such as leafy vegetable crops, flowers and fruit.
Mawsynram Border Area College organises cleaning drive
SHILLONG: The Mawsynram Border Area College NSS unit in collaboration with Mawsynram Village organised a cleaning drive on Wednesday which was spearheaded by Programme Officer Risahlang Kharbuki.
The cleaning drive started from the college campus which made its way up to Mawsynram market.
Mawsynram Border Area college principal P.Bang, village headman M. Marbaniang along with 150 volunteers and college staff were also present.
Track suits were distributed to all participants at the start of the cleaning drive and an awareness programme was held inside the college campus.
Speaking on the occasion, the principal and the village headman lauded the effort of the NSS and added that such programmes should be held regularly.