SHILLONG: With the opening up of more and more sectors of the state economy in line with the nationwide relaxations of COVID-19 lockdown, civil construction work has gradually started.
Many under construction sites, which were lying in standstill condition due to the lockdown, have since returned to their activities but the momentum, that is usually associated with such works, is missing.
Several private construction sites in various parts of the city are, therefore, affected since local workers do not meet the ground requirements, neither in numbers nor in skills.
Many property owners pointed out that their construction activities got hampered due to the agitation over Inner Line Permit (ILP) last year and the coronavirus pandemic this year, which they observe is “one of the worst-ever crises being faced by humanity”.
However, according to a random survey it has been observed that non-local workers are carrying out wood, masonry and other building construction-related works in Greater Laban, Laitumkhrah, Polo, Rynjah, Umpling and elsewhere.
To a query, building owners from these areas said that there aren’t enough local workers to complete a multi-storied building in time.
They have even narrated how they have to give up workers from neighbouring Assam due to the intervention of pressure groups at a time when there are not enough local workforce to carry out electrical, plumbing, brick works and masonry and other construction-related activities in the city.
In such a situation, the affected building owners are questioning if the respective police stations or Dorbars have any data related to migrant workers in Shillong and the state at large so that they can be legally engaged.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has said that deportation of stranded migrant workers, after the announcement of COVID-induced nationwide lockdown, from other states will be carried out in phased manner but till date there has not been any intimation regarding how many have left to their respective hometowns and how many are still working in private and government construction sites.
Many property owners who are executing construction works with non-local workers said that they have hired those who have settled in the state for more than ten to fifteen years.
While referring to the remark of the chief minister on ease of doing business and reviving the state economy following COVID-19, they pointed out that without skilled workers nothing can be improved.
The much-awaited Meghalaya Legislative Assembly construction in Mawdiangdiang area at the cost of Rs 127 crore in the city’s outskirts has hit a hurdle as below 100 labourers are engaged at the site, according to the PWD (Buildings) Minister, Comingone Ymbon.
Civil engineers observed that given the January 2022 deadline, the site demands engagement of more workers.
