By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 1: KHNAM leader Thomas Passah has criticised Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s recent statement on work permits, calling it “misleading.”
Passah argued that the Meghalaya Identification, Registration (Safety & Security) of Migrant Workers Act, 2020, formulated by the MDA government, mandates registration and police verification of migrant labourers. He emphasised that the Act requires a monitoring body to oversee the entry of migrant labourers into the state. Passah justified recent raids conducted by pressure groups, stating that the government has failed to address the issue. He highlighted that the Labour department lacks records of migrant labourers’ criminal backgrounds.
According to Passah, the Act holds contractors accountable for registering labourers for no more than 179 days, but he noted that the Labour department’s lack of monitoring enables illegal activities. With numerous illegal settlers in the state, he acknowledged the concerns of pressure groups regarding the unregulated flow of migrants.
He criticised the NPP-led MDA government for promoting the flow of migrants with minimal restrictions. During a visit to the infiltration check gate at Umling, Passah found that checks were inadequate and manpower was lacking.
Passah emphasised that the government is aware of the issues but has taken no responsibility. He countered the CM’s statement that NGOs have no right to conduct checks, arguing that while NGOs may not have the right, they have a responsibility, unlike the government.
