SHILLONG: Meghalaya Government has decided against lifting restrictions on interstate movement for now, contrary to specific directions from the Centre, holding its ground that the state was “empowered” to take its own decisions based on local needs.
Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui justified the government stand saying that it was “in the larger interest” vis-à-vis COVID containment. He told The Shillong Times that all things considered, status quo was the best option for the state.
Overruling the directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the state government has decided not to disturb the current restricted movement from outside the State and stick to its system of e-permit as a prerequisite for all entrants save the identified essential categories.
Informed sources said the announcement of Unlock 4.0 on August 29 by the MHA reiterating again that “there shall be no restrictions on interstate and intrastate movement of persons and goods” and withdrawal of e-permit system, is expected to be reviewed on Monday.
The government is likely to take another look at the constitutional validity of the state’s authority in this regard but is unlikely to yield for now.
The government, it seems, was in the horns of a dilemma over the ticklish issue. While the NPP is part of NDA, it doesn’t want the issue to snowball into a Centre-State confrontation. However, it can barely miss the political ramifications of compliance of the Central government’s firm and categorical directive.
After the vociferous and violent stirs for introduction of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state, backed by unanimous resolution adopted by the state legislature, COVID pandemic came as a boon for the state government to virtually enforce ILP-type entry restrictions in the state.
Observers say that it’s a catch-22 situation and few will envy the situation the government finds itself in: “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t”. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma seems to have opted for catering to the domestic audience rather than buckle under central government’s pressure, observers say.
The Union Home Secretary, AK Bhalla’s letter to the chief secretary categorically urged the state to “ensure compliance” and direct all authorities under him for their “strict implementation” of the Unlock 4.0.
The letter reiterated the directive issued a week earlier that the state “cannot dilute restrictions imposed by the Home Ministry, implying that both restricted entry and e-permit system must be done away with for all movement into and within the state.
It may be recalled that after the state government chose not to adhere to the Home Secretary’s categorical instructions, officials at the MHA took a “serious view” of it. The officials in the Home Ministry pointed out that National Disaster Management Act 2005 empowered the Centre to take such steps that would normally be seen as transgression on state authority.
As things stand now, the state’s five entry points will remain shut for a week beginning September 1 for three consecutive months to enable the ‘fatigued” staff to take a deserving break.
However, essential services will remain unaffected and the health protocols will remain in force.
The defence also is that it is the strict maintenance of COVID protocols including the strict entry point checks and balances that have kept the COVID numbers to “the lowest number of cases per million people since the beginning of the pandemic” according to a senior official of the Health Department. “We are testing at entry points and have the capacity to test 1000 persons per day with RT-PCR and more numbers through antigen test kits,” the official added.