Letter highlights various demands of state
SHILLONG: Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek has urged the DoNER Minister, Jitendra Singh, to provide assistance in preserving and protecting Shillong Golf Course in view of the upcoming National Games 2022.
Speaking to media persons after meeting Singh and submitting a letter to him at Raj Bhavan on Saturday, Hek said that the Shillong Golf Course is a landmark that speaks volumes about the rich history of the state associated with the sport.
“As the state prepares to host the National Games in 2022, I have requested if the Shillong Golf Course could be preserved, protected and nurtured for the National Games,” he said.
Hek also informed that the matter pertaining to bifurcation of the road which passed right through the Golf Course has almost come to a conclusion and a new road will be constructed in the area.
Botanical garden
During the meeting, other projects which were discussed include setting up of a botanical garden and children’s park which will enhance the tourism potential of the city and also serve as an added attraction for the upcoming National Games in the state.
He also said that once the children’s park comes up, people would stop going to the Golf Course and the problem of people thronging the area every weekend would come to an end.
A request to the union minister was specially made for an indoor stadium and
swimming pool in Pynthorumkhrah which will be the focal point of attention again for the National Games.
Singh assured that he would look into the requests made in the letter submitted.
Funds for cancer wing
Hek also thanked Singh for his support through the Ministry of DoNER and Personnel, Department of Atomic Energy and Prime Minister’s Office for sanction of balance funds for the DAE- Shillong Civil Hospital Cancer Wing which he said is a tremendous gift and boon to the people of Meghalaya.
The budget of the cancer wing is Rs 30 crore.
He also informed that the DAE in the beginning had released Rs 15 crore for the project and now they have again released more than Rs 7 crore and the remaining amount would be released soon.
He said the new sanction of money would be used for purchasing equipment and other works.
Hospital waste
management
At the same time, the duo also discussed some future projects for the welfare of the state. It was highlighted that as per norms of the National Green Tribunal, the state government needs to have a hospital waste management and disposal system with focus on waste segregation and safe disposal especially for biomedical waste.
Support for a project that will alleviate the urban waste management problems of the state in general and Shillong in particular was sought.
Diagnostic centre
There was also a discussion on the need for a state of the art Diagnostic Centre in Shillong and Tura. Rs 20 crore has been sanctioned for high- end equipment for the state-of-the-art Diagnostic Centre in Shillong under North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) scheme of Ministry of DoNER in 2018-19.
Hek also sought Rs 6.5 crore for supporting civil infrastructure.
A similar state of the art Diagnostic Centre was proposed for Tura under NESIDS of the current year.