Garo youth body against exporting stones to B’desh
TURA: Members of the All A’chik Youth Welfare Society have called for a halt to export of boulders and stones to neighbouring Bangladesh citing shortage of the mineral in the district. The society members submitted a letter to Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh alleging that contractors and companies that have taken up government projects are facing shortage of the mineral and urged for a halt to export. They stated that demand for stones and boulders in the district has exceeded supply, which is causing a shortfall, even as exports continue. They further complained that those exporting the boulders were provided with challans solely for domestic supply but were running illegal mines and exporting the minerals through Dalu border in the west and Mankachar in neighbouring Assam.
Former Baghmara MLA alleges substandard work on NH62
SHILLONG: Former Baghmara legislator, Satto R Marak, on Thursday submitted a letter to Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong who is also the minister in-charge of PWD regarding the substandard repair work done on NH62 including the metalling and blacktopping of the NH road extension from Gasuapara towards Me.ka-A.dugre village. Marak said the road had been repaired recently but wore out within two months resulting in huge puddles and potholes developing along the road. “This is highly unfortunate and a serious matter of concern. There are some isolated places where the metal repairs have completely vanished,” he said. Marak has urged the Deputy Chief Minister to look into the matter and to take necessary action against the contractors responsible for the repair work. He also requested assistance in re-repairing the damaged road.
Garo group denies extortion racket, blames ex-ANVC B chief
TURA: The President of the Association for Democracy and Empowerment organisation, Dalseng Bira Ch Momin, has denied allegations of extortion from teer counters in Tura and instead blamed former ANVC-B chairman Bernard Rimpu Marak for the ongoing racket. The counter allegation has been made after a group of teer counter operators lodged a complaint with the DC alleging illegal tax collection by the All Garo Hills Archery Association and organisations such as the GSU-Tengsak faction, FKJGP, AYWO and ADE. Clarifying on recent allegations levelled against him and other organisation leaders, the ADE president said that the former militant chief use threats to intimidate teer counter owners into paying up which compelled the president of the All Garo Hills Archery Association, Neerush M Sangma, to file an FIR against Rimpu at Tura police station. Momin further added that the former ANVC-B leader encouraged dozens of illegal teer counters that did not have licences to run to begin operations under his protection in exchange for a sum of money every day.
CSWO meets DGP, wants police to be more dedicated
SHILLONG: The Civil Society Women’s Organization (CSWO) has urged the Meghalaya DGP to ensure that police are dedicated to their work especially when crime reviews are held by respective SPs twice a month. Kharshiing met the DGP on Thursday and discussed the need to ensure safety and security to women. In a memorandum to the DGP, CSWO president, Agnes Kharshiing expressed concern in relation to the murder of a woman in Ri Bhoi as well as the recently exposed sex racket. The CSWO also said the police should act promptly without any fear against all criminal matters.
Outrage over power cuts in Dalu
TURA: Hundreds of agitated citizens from Dalu surrounded the MeECL sub-station office in the border town on Wednesday evening resulting in a minor standoff with authorities over lack of electricity for close to two days. Citizens of the area were without electricity at the peak of a hot and humid summer and MeECL officials were unable to give any proper explanation compelling the public to come onto the streets and gherao the power corporation’s office in Barengapara area of Dalu town. The agitated public pelted stones at the office and the police had to rush in and pacify the angry mob. On Thursday morning, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh along with the Chief Executive Officer of MeECL and other officials rushed to Dalu and held a meeting with the public to ease tensions. During the deliberations, MeECL officials acknowledged that a technical problem had occurred that prevented proper routing of electricity to many parts of the town. They informed that a special engineer with the expertise to solve the problem was expected to arrive in Dalu by Thursday evening. Meanwhile, in the face of widespread public anger, power was temporarily restored to most areas of the town.
Rally in Delhi for Garoland
TURA: The Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC), has announced a plan to organise a rally in New Delhi in support of the creation of a state carved from the Garo Hills domain. The central executive committee of the GSMC held their zonal and unit meeting at Tura’s SMELC building where they passed several resolutions pertaining to the demand for a separate state on Wednesday. One of the demands, apart from the Delhi rally, was to raise their agitation pitch higher until the government agrees to the creation of the Garoland state. The leaders of the movement also resolved to continue opposing the Citizenship Amendment Bill and warned of mass protest should attempts be made again to pass the bill. GSMC is also calling for the state government to come up with the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act-2016 bill at the earliest.The rising number of settlers from outside taking up residence in the Mouza No. 6 area of the plain belt region of West Garo Hills was also deliberated during their CEC meeting in Tura. “No action has been taken by successive governments to the problem of widespread influx. We are demanding the setting up of a High Level Committee to probe the illegal settlements and eviction of the encroachers on a time bound manner,” informed GSMC chairman Nikman Ch Marak while speaking to The Shillong Times.
FIR against NEHU scholar
SHILLONG: A police complaint has been filed against a PhD scholar identified as Raghuvendra Pratap Tripathi of the Bio Medical Engineering (BME) department of NEHU for issuing threats and passing lewd comments against a person and his family. The complainant, who does not wish to be identified, also said that Tripathi makes derogatory gestures to his family members whenever they cross each other inside the university campus. The FIR said that the matter has already been brought to the knowledge of the university.