Hundreds of undocumented labourers and immigrants found working without labour licences or police verification in factories in Ri-Bhoi district
SHILLONG, Aug 8: The Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) on Friday came down heavily on the Labour Department and the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), accusing them of gross negligence in monitoring industrial units and allowing illegal immigrants to operate unchecked in the state.
The allegation followed surprise inspections carried out by the FKJGP’s North Khasi Hills district unit and Byrnihat circle in various parts of Byrnihat on Friday.
The federation said the raids, conducted in factories located along the Meghalaya–Assam border in Ri-Bhoi district, exposed rampant violations of labour regulations.
According to FKJGP leaders, hundreds of undocumented labourers and immigrants were found working without labour licences or police verification. All such individuals, the organisation claimed, were immediately sent back.
The inspection drive, prompted by fears that evicted settlers from Assam could seek refuge in Meghalaya’s border villages, was led by Kitborlang Suting, president of FKJGP’s Byrnihat circle. He was accompanied by general secretary Noah Khongsit, vice president Debos Chyne, and FKJGP’s North Khasi Hills district general secretary Ricky Majaw, along with other members.
The FKJGP leaders said the operation also uncovered instances of underage workers being employed in violation of labour laws and the Child Rights Act. Some factories, they said, were found to be engaging workers below the legal age of 18 years, raising serious questions about enforcement and oversight.
Speaking to reporters after the operation, Suting and Khongsit said they acted on specific information that certain factories were illegally housing and employing migrants without mandatory documentation.
They said after detecting such workers, they sent them back with a warning that they must not enter the state again for work without proper documentation.
The FKJGP accused authorities of turning a blind eye to such violations and enabling a system where illegal immigrants find easy employment in Meghalaya. It said the lack of regular inspections by both the KHADC and the Labour Department created conditions where factory owners feel emboldened to bypass legal protocols.
The FKJGP said it would continue to conduct such operations and urged all factories, industries, and companies to strictly adhere to state laws. Any violation, the organisation cautioned, would attract strong action. The federation maintained that Meghalaya must not become a fallback destination for Assam’s evictees.