SHILLONG: The governor’s speech created quite a flutter in the House on Monday but pertinent issues were also not overlooked by the opposition legislators.
From the oft-discussed issues like border dispute, crime against women, unemployment and mining impasse to oft-neglected ones like local weavers’ demands, rural banking and farmers’ plight were all on the list of the newly elected legislators.
KHNAM’s Adelbert Nongrum focused on border areas and asked the government to table a report in the House on whether any part of Meghalaya has gone to Bangladesh during land swapping.
Participating in the debate on the governor’s address, Nongrum said dialogues with Assam on border dispute began only after the neighbouring state encroached on Meghalaya’s border with the help of its police force.
The Congress legislator from Rambrai-Jyrngam, Kimfa Sidney Marbaniang, stressed the need to empower border areas. He also pointed out that the governor’s speech on Friday did not mention fast resolution of the inter-state boundary dispute.
Urban problems
Several legislators highlighted the problems faced by people living in Shillong. Both PT Sawkmie of the Congress and Nongrum emphasised the problems of water supply and safety.
The KHNAM MLA claimed that citizens here are getting unsafe drinking water and this “should be addressed immediately”.
Sawkmie pointed at the “fight between the PHE and the PWD” that has led to the ongoing crisis of water in the city. “The PHE department would dig roads to lay pipes, which was objected by the PWD.”
Independent legislator from Mawphlang SK Sunn highlighted the Greater Shillong Water Supply Project (Phase III) saying, “In laying of distribution networks for the project, the PHE Department has hit the wall as PWD has failed to co-operate and work
have since been suspended.”
Echoing Sawkmie, he looked forward to the initiatives of the departments for the work to complete. He called upon the ministers concerned to solve the crisis between the two departments.
Speaking about traffic congestion, Sawkmie suggested speeding up of Mawlai bypass and building a flyover to untangle the traffic knots. Asserting that the governor in his address failed to mention the problem of road connectivity, Sawkmie hoped for good road connectivity in Shillong and other parts of the state.
Referring to Sawkmie’s suggestion of a flyover, HSPDP legislator from Mawkyrwat Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar said alternate roads should come up to ease traffic congestion.
Sunn said the governor’s address failed to highlight the urgent need to solve the traffic congestion in urban areas.
On road construction, Sawkmie categorically said, “Contractors are very lazy. If need be, cancel orders that are given to contractors.”
Highlighting on the issue of garbage disposal, he said that his constituency has become a dumping ground due to the presence of the marten at Mawlai Mawiong.
With the state preparing to host the 2022 National Games, Sawkmie said instead of a dumping ground, “let us have a national playground”.
Drug abuse is another issue that Nongrum flagged.
Rural issues
Mayralborn Syiem and George B Lyngdoh, Congress legislators from Nongpoh and Umroi, respectively, spoke at length about the problems faced by people in rural areas.
Syiem, while participating in the amendment to the Motion of Thanks to the governor’s address, highlighted the issues of weavers, farmers and rural road connectivity.
Highlighting the plight of the farmers, Syiem said farmers buy seeds at Rs 30 per kilo while the produce is sold at Rs 10 or Rs 5. On harassment by middlemen, the MLA said, “There should be special provision to provide help to farmers and regulate market.”
The number of illegal coal-laden trucks taking village roads to avoid weighbridges is a daily problem and Syiem sought action on this. He also wanted special facilitation centres to check influx.
Speaking about weavers in Ri Bhoi, he suggested that special focus should be on weavers and villages that produced natural dyes. Citing the example of Sualkuchi in Assam, which is famous for producing muga silk, the first-time MLA said Diwon Umden in the district should also be recognised for Eri silk (Jain Ryndia).
With regard to road connectivity, he said the Umsning bypass is incomplete and pitched for a footbridge for students. He also urged the government to come up with slope stabilisation along the national highway as it poses difficulty, especially in rainy season.
Threat of militants
Lyngdoh raised the issue of threats of militant activities along Block-2 areas at Ri Bhoi district.
He added that farmers face the brunt of militancy and called upon strict vigilance and strengthening of the Mawlasnai outpost.
Mentioning that 25 per cent of villages have banks, he said, “There is no road map to lay out banks in the state.”
Lyngdoh raised concerns over the lifespan of the Umiam bridge, “which is over”, and the dam “is over-utilised and the growing traffic is endangering the lives of the people”.
Lyngdoh called for setting up blood banks across the state.
Pointing to the ill effects of inorganic food, NCP’s Saleng Sangma said food inspectors do not monitor the kind of medicines used in vegetables and urged the government to concentrate on organic farming.
He also stressed the need for a marketing system for farmers to sell local produce.
KHNAM’s Nongrum asked the government to highlight the success and failures of the Integrated Basin and Livelihood Programme since it has incurred huge expenditure.
DeMo reduces jobs
Demonetisation surfaced once again during the debate in the House on Monday. Sawkmie blamed the central policy for joblessness of local contractors, suppliers and youth. “(It is a) wrong policy taken by the Centre. It is high time to take care of the youth. Government jobs are saturated,” he added.
Sawkmie also said the governor failed to mention about the need to increase medical seats in the state, education policy, benefits extended to farmers and inauguration of the abattoir.
Stating that many youths are migrating in search of employment, he said, “There is no mention of solving the problem of unemployment in the state.”
Tongkhar urged the government to encourage youth to set up industries, which will generate employment while raising the issue of unemployment.
George suggested domicile reservation for jobs in central government, military and paramilitary.
Earlier, Ampareen Lyngdoh lamented that most of the industries operating in industrial parks are replicas and imitations or off-shore businesses operating or thriving in Assam. Education, which was a major issue during the election campaign, was also the talk of the House with NCP’s Sangma raising concern over the poor quality of education in the state. “Students cheat because they want to pass, if they don’t get quality education, how will they pass? Why do they (students) have to cheat? There is something wrong with the system,” he said.
He pointed out that barbers, cobblers are usually the outsiders while locals are deprived of employment. Stating that the youth are being given ‘altu phaltu’ (pointless) skill development training, he said, “Not just skill development but incentive to start entrepreneurship. I don’t want them to splinter.”
Sangma also urged the government to increase job reservation for Persons with Disabilities.
The Nongpoh MLA said there should be colleges in every district and deserving schools should be given the SSA scheme with enrolment of 150-200 students. He also spoke about upgrading special incentives to new higher secondary schools.
Healthcare
On the health front, Nongpoh MLA Syiem said accidents happen on national highways and it was imperative to have special trauma centres at every district. Stating that the trauma centre in Nongpoh is not functional, he said, “I hope the government will increase manpower in primary and community health centres in rural areas.”
Sangma pointed out that people in rural areas are unaware of the state’s health cover scheme, which shows it was “only for middle class but not villagers or the downtrodden”.
Rambrai-Jyrngam MLA Marbaniang sought government help in setting up Amrit pharmacies in West and South West Khasi Hills.
Women’s issues
Ampareen Lyngdoh listed the problems related to women, including the unabated crime in the state against the fair sex.
She felt the need for a sub-inspector in every police station to combat the alarming and steady increase of crime against women and children. She recalled that in previous years, the then government raised new recruits, especially women, at designated posts of sub inspectors.
According to Lyngdoh, the Home Minister (James Sangma) should review all postings of women SI’s and rearrange their current duties and bring them closer to police stations to work on cases of crime against women and children.
The state should have a well-equipped forensic laboratory and trained manpower , Lyngdoh said.
Referring to some of the central schemes, the MLA said they were not suitable for the state. She stated the example of ASHA scheme that is available to women with two children. “Is my third child unwanted by this government,” she questioned.
Lyngdoh also spoke about cancer saying many citizens die from cancer because of lack of access to funding for such terminal diseases. She sought for audit of government intervention in medical institutions to ensure that patients get the best.
She also called for more crèches across the state for single working mothers.
Sawkmie also flagged the issue of safety and security of women and children. He urged the coalition government headed by NPP to “do something more to protect women in the state”.
Coal & other issues
Coal mining, media policy are among the issues which were vigorously pitched for in the House on Monday.
Stating that the governor failed to mention the lifting of ban on coal, Sawkmie said during the election campaigns, there were talks of lifting the ban. “Union Minister of Coal (Independent charge) Piyush Goyal had assured that once the BJP comes to power the coal issue will be solved within 180 days,” he reminded the House.
Calling the NPP-BJP as a parivar (family), Sawkmie said he was looking forward to the cooperation between the Centre and the state.
George urged the government to frame a media policy that can help small and marginal media houses. Though the government last time spoke about formation of a media society, no time frame was fixed to complete the task.
On sports and youth affairs, Sunn expressed disappointment that there was no standard football ground in Shillong and Mawsynram.
KHNAM’s Nongrum took up the issue of visa cancellation saying pastors from Wales could not attend the synod at Sutnga and Sohiong and the state should ask for clarification from the Centre.
Referring to media reports on fund mismanagement in district councils, he said it should be addressed. “The governor’s address mentions nothing about the huge bills passed by the councils and pending with the District Council Affairs Department,” he added. Influx of illegal immigrants “is a crucial agenda and the government needs to address it”, he observed.
