TURA: Protest groups in Jengjal region of West Garo Hills, 32 kms from Tura, agitated on Thursday over claims that a proposed multi-storey farmers market has been shifted from its original site to another location and demanded that the move be retracted.
Jengjal, on the main highway connecting Tura with Paikan in Assam falls under Dadenggre constituency currently represented by Home Minister, James Sangma. Today being the weekly market day in Jengjal, members of local organisations, namely Garoland state movement Committee and other student and social groups, carried banners and posters opposing any move to shift the site.
The protesters alleged that a Rs 10 crore project to construct a multi-storied farmers market at the current market site, adjacent to the main road, has been moved over a kilometer away to a new site.
The protesters claim that the new site is not conducive for the market and demand that status quo be maintained on the issue. Following construction work being taken up at the new site, the protesters led a banner of revolt and raised slogans criticizing their local legislator for not listening to their demands.
“Our protests will continue as long as the project does not begin at the original site. We will mobilize more people and create awareness across the region. Because off our protests we are now getting threats of arrest and jail,” allege the local GSMC unit chief Annuar Sangma.
However, SP, MGR Kumar, has denied claims about arrests and clarified that there has been some confusion about the proposed site by the protesters for which the DC has been intimated and a meeting will shortly be convened.
