Speaker to push CM for review meeting on COVID-19

SHILLONG, May 17: Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh on Monday said he would write to Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma to convene a meeting on Wednesday to review the COVID-19 situation in the state.
The Speaker told reporters that he would request the CM to invite the deputy CM, the Health minister, opposition leaders and some MLAs to attend the review meeting.
Lyngdoh informed that he was planning to call all the legislators to attend the proposed meeting but had to drop the idea in view of the COVID protocols.
Among other issues, the meeting would discuss pay cut for the MLAs, the Speaker informed.
Last year, the MLAs had agreed to take a 10% pay cut for a year as their contribution towards the fight against COVID-19.
Asked if the government was considering diverting funds from the MLA scheme, Lyngdoh said it would depend on the situation.
Mentioning that the situation in 2021 is different from last year when there was a complete lockdown for 2-3 months, he said, “This year it is all about shortage of beds and medical oxygen.”
Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh had recently asked the government to hold an all-party meeting on the COVID situation.