KSU wants influx check as mining resumes

SHILLONG: Following the conditional lifting of ban on coal mining in the state, the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has asked the state government to come up with stronger mechanisms to check influx besides speeding up the construction of entry and exit points.
The statement of the Union assumes significance as a large number of labourers, especially from Nepal and Assam, was working in the coal mines of Jaintia Hills region and with the lifting of ban on mining, certain political parties in the state have already asked the government to take measures to check influx in the state.
KSU president Lambok Marngar on Monday said the issue of labourers coming to Meghalaya will add to the influx and the government must come up with stronger mechanisms and speed up  the construction of entry and exit points to check the same.
Lamenting that the construction work for most of the entry and exit points in the state has not started barring a few, he said the Union would see if the mechanism of entry and exit point is strong enough to check influx once the infrastructure is completed.
He also said the state government should effectively implement the work permit system in the state as it is the pressure groups who are conducting inspection in various locations whereas the government should have asked the concerned departments to effectively implement the work permit system.
The state government has gone ahead with the construction of the entry and exit points at Umling in Ri-Bhoi district besides another point in Mendipathar railway station in North Garo Hills.
At the same time, the state government is also working on making Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act more stringent by amending several provisions of the Act to check influx into the state.