SHILLONG: A day after several leaders from the NPP’s East Jaintia Hills unit left the party accusing it of allowing trucks to come from outside the state to the district risking COVID-19 infection, its National President and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that if such logic were to be applied then the state would not be able to bring even rice and other essential commodities from other states.
In protest against the import of coal from Assam, which was allowed by the NPP-led government, several leaders from East Jaintia Hills left the party on Sunday. Former MLA Justine Dkhar, former MDCs — Joinriwel Pyrtuh, Violet Lyngdoh and Thomas Nongtdu — besides other prominent residents of East Jaintia Hills, including coal baron Topaz Lapasam, Burin Shadap, Iasyllok Lyngdoh and Leo Dkhar have left the NPP.
In their statement, they said the party is not well organised and there is no platform to listen to the public grievances adding that when people of the state are fighting hard against the spread of COVID-19, the party, which leads the government, is allowing truck drivers and helpers from outside the state to East Jaintia Hills district despite knowing well that requirement of cement plants is available within the district.
Reacting to the statement, the chief minister said, ” If this is the logic we would not have been able to bring even rice and essential commodities from other states”.
He said that the government is disinfecting trucks besides checking and scanning the drivers and even the data of the crew is kept.
He, however, said that he would look into the concerns raised by them.
Earlier, residents from East Jaintia Hills led by various traders’ associations, pressure groups and also the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong had opposed the government’s order to allow cement plants to transport coal from Assam.