The Umling Facilitation Centre should not be converted into a commercial hub as it was conceived as an important mechanism for regulating and monitoring the movement of people entering Meghalaya
SHILLONG, June 24: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has objected to the state government’s decision to convert the erstwhile Umling Facilitation Centre into a commercial food court, arguing that the move reflects the government’s continued failure to implement mechanisms aimed at monitoring the entry of outsiders into Meghalaya.
The student body said the proposed transformation of the site into a modern rest stop, featuring international food chains such as KFC, Starbucks, Burger King and Subway, defeats the very purpose for which the Facilitation Centre was originally established under the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016.
KSU general secretary Ruben Najiar in a statement clarified that the union was not opposed to the establishment of food chains in the state. However, he maintained that the Umling Facilitation Centre should not be converted into a commercial hub as it was conceived as an important mechanism for regulating and monitoring the movement of people entering Meghalaya.
According to him, the MRSSA was enacted in 2016 following the union’s prolonged agitation for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) during 2013-14. At the time, the then government had assured the public that the law would serve as a comprehensive mechanism to monitor the influx of outsiders while the demand for ILP remained under consideration by the Centre Najiar pointed out that although the MRSSA does not offer the same level of protection as the ILP, the Facilitation Centre was intended to function as an entry and exit checkpoint, sharing certain features with the ILP system and laying the groundwork for a more robust mechanism in the future.
The KSU general secretary expressed regret that instead of fully implementing the provisions of the 2016 Act, the government chose to amend the legislation in 2019.
Najiar alleged that the amendment was introduced in a rush following suggestion from certain organisations, legislators and ministers who failed to understand the objectives and significance of the original law.
“The unfortunate part is that the government amended the MRSSA in 2019 even before the 2016 Act was properly implemented and assessed. Rather than strengthening the mechanism, the amendment weakened the purpose for which the law was enacted,” he said.
He further claimed that the subsequent legal challenges to the Facilitation Centre and the government’s response exposed a lack of commitment towards implementing the law.
According to him, when the High Court stayed the functioning of the Facilitation Centre, government representatives failed to adequately explain the rationale behind the facility, leading to the suspension of its operations.
Najiar questioned why the government did not appeal the court’s decision and instead allowed the matter to remain dormant.
He said the proposed conversion of the site into a food court raised serious concerns about the government’s commitment to addressing the issue of influx, particularly at a time when neighbouring states were intensifying action against illegal immigration and undocumented migrants.
He said Meghalaya continued to lack effective legal safeguards against unchecked migration and noted that several legislative measures relating to migrant worker registration and monitoring were yet to be implemented despite repeated assurances from the government.
The KSU argued that the Facilitation Centre remained relevant in the present context, not only for regulating the entry and exit of people but also for strengthening security measures, including efforts to curb the movement of drugs and other illegal activities into the state.
Insisting that the facility should be restored and utilised for its original purpose, the union urged the government to immediately implement the provisions of the MRSSA, 2016, instead of dismantling infrastructure that was created to protect the interests of the indigenous population.
Warning against the proposed commercialisation of the site, he said that the government must demonstrate greater seriousness in addressing concerns relating to influx and the long-term security of Meghalaya’s people.
Najiar said protecting the demographic interests of indigenous communities required more than promises and announcements. He urged the government to take concrete steps towards implementing laws that have remained largely inactive for nearly a decade.
