SHILLONG, Nov 26: As pressure groups are trying to mount pressure on the state government for introduction of ILP (which the Centre has not acceded to so far), Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is going all out to make the next best thing — put a “virtual ILP” in place to thwart unbridled entry of “outsiders” in to the state.
Speaking to media persons after the MDA meeting here on Thursday, Sangma said that recruitment and training of the manpower for Umling check point was underway and before Christmas a system would be put up for checking everybody from outside the state before they are let in.
He admitted that some members spoke about the testing and difficulty which people are facing while entering the state.
“We have explained to them that the state will have to maintain some kind of screening to ensure that our people are safe,” Sangma said.
Asserting that the implementation of entry and exit point was shortly going to be a reality, he added that in future, registration for people to enter the state would become mandatory and they would have to go through simple registration through a software and app.
“We are achieving the purpose and at the same time making it easy for the people to come in,” Sangma added.
As far as the entry and exit point is concerned, the Chief Minister added that the project was on the verge of completion and the recruitment process has already started and advertisements for recruitment have been floated.
“With training of manpower, we are optimistic that the entry and exit point will be made operational within a week or first 10 days of December,” Sangma said.
Another legislative enactment aimed at keeping a tab on new entrants is the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security Act which was under examination of the state governor.
In this regard, the chief minister informed that Governor SP Malik had made certain observations on the Act for which he would meet the Governor and discuss in detail.
It may be mentioned that different pressure groups in the state have served warned of intensifying their agitations on the delay by the Centre to grant Inner Line Permit (ILP) to check influx into the state.