SHILLONG, Dec 12: Opposition Congress legislator, Ampareen Lyngdoh on Saturday said that as per their assessment the entry and exit point at Umling is just a pre-fabricated infrastructure for COVID testing and detection.
“The project in Umling, to our knowledge, has nothing to do with ILP nor has it anything to do with the implementation of the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security Act (MRSSA). It is a pre-fabricated infrastructure for COVID checking and detection.” Ampareen said adding that one cannot expect such a small office which was built for some other purpose to also function as a registration for MRSSA or ILP.
She however stated that the Chief Minister has informed everyone that all incoming visitors to the state from December 16, will have to register themselves at the entry point.
“So when you add all of this information together we presume that they will do that because of the mandate given by the MRSSA,” she said. She also said that since the virtual ILP is a distant dream she is happy to see that at least one entry and exit point will be inaugurated on December 16.
“But now looking at his (CM) tweet we don’t know if that will happen or somebody else will take his place and inaugurate it,” she said.
Stating that if the government is going to club COVID screening along with the implementation of MRSSA in Umling it is at least one positive step ahead, she said, “Pressure groups are saying you have to ensure that not just one but all the entry and exit points identified have to be activated. I am happy because if you do not wish to give credit to the Congress for legislating the MRSSA at least you are implementing it”.
“We hope that all the pending queries due to be sent to the Governor for his understanding will be done quickly because if the Act is amended and has not received the sanction of the Governor as yet then its implementation remains questionable. We hope that either the Governor has approved the amendments and has now given the mandate to the government to implement it at the earliest or perhaps there will still be some gaps because a COVID screening centre will look for different details as compared to the screening of MRSSA,” she said.
“I hope all the components required for screening, such as the necessary documents to establish the credentials of a visitor as per the mandate of the MRSSA 2016 are in place”.
She also said that the Opposition Congress had earlier questioned the State government for de-sanctioning of a project and several other projects for the implementation of MRSSA in the state. “It is the duty of the Congress to question why the projects were de-sanctioned? In asking all these questions it does not mean that the Congress is needling the government. We are not interfering, we are just asking pertinent questions so that things are made clear to the public and all the necessary information is in the public domain,” Ampareen said.