By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 31: As Meghalaya enters a new year marked by ambitious economic goals and multiple development projects across sectors, people from different walks of life have articulated their expectations, concerns and priorities, highlighting the need for peace, inclusive growth, environmental responsibility and improved urban management.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, renowned academician Rahul Chatterjee said the state has already stepped onto a springboard of growth, with several projects either under implementation or on the anvil, alongside the Chief Minister’s vision of building a USD 10 billion economy.
He stressed that Meghalaya, in order to catalyse growth, urgently requires all-round peace, strict adherence to project timelines and a significantly greater focus on education, beginning from the primary level and extending upwards.
Concerns over livelihoods were raised by Deanndra Thangkiew, who highlighted the difficulties faced by contractual workers, pointing to low wages, rising prices and postings in distant outskirts. She said sustaining a livelihood has become increasingly challenging for such workers and called for fairer compensation and improved working conditions.
Urban infrastructure and mobility emerged as another major issue, with Deepjyoti Das drawing attention to worsening traffic congestion in Shillong, particularly around Khyndai Lad and Bara Bazar, where short distances often take hours to cover.
Acknowledging that traffic is a complex problem, he stressed the need for long-term planning, improved parking facilities and gradual infrastructure expansion.
Environmental degradation featured prominently in public expectations. Bat Khongrymmai called for stricter laws and stronger awareness campaigns to address plastic waste, noting that plastic dumping along roadsides has become increasingly visible.
He advocated sustained campaigns at the school and household levels and suggested learning from village-level waste collection practices to move towards a cleaner and greener Meghalaya.
Issues related to waste management were also flagged, with citizens pointing out that municipal garbage trucks often arrive when residents are away at work, leading to waste being dumped indiscriminately in public spaces.
They also highlighted concerns over water pollution, drawing attention to the growing number of car wash units in the Mawlai area, where wastewater is allegedly being discharged directly into rivers, posing risks of contamination and environmental harm.
Traditional institutions also weighed in, with Pynshilang Mawrie emphasising the importance of community participation and accountability in addressing civic challenges, particularly those related to traffic and public discipline.
Summing up the broader sentiment, Pratyaee D Choudhary expressed hope that the new year would focus on building a stronger, wiser and brighter future for Meghalaya through balanced development and responsive governance.
Many have also called for erasing divisions and maintaining communal harmony among all communities.
A prominent filmmaker from Meghalaya, Dominic Sangma, hoped that people would become more tolerant of each other in the year 2026. “Through my films I aspire if it’s possible to erase the lines that divide between ‘them and us’,” he said.
Former cop and politician M Kharkrang said he expects the state government to complete long-pending issues and projects.
“There is also an expectation to see the unemployment graph comes down and state GDP increases,” he said, while adding that any development must reach those at the lowest financial ladder.
Retired Justice BP Katakey said that in the year 2026, he hopes to see communal harmony between all communities and religions.
On the other hand, Parambir Singh Sehdave, a prominent hotelier, hoped that 2026 would be better than 2025, as tourist flow was poor during the peak months of June and July this year. “Even the Puja period was slack and we hope for a better year ahead,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Shillong All Faiths Forum (SAFF) has exhorted all citizens to promote friendship and respect for one another across religious and cultural traditions in order to promote and create an atmosphere of peace and neighbourliness among communities.
In a statement, the SAFF aired concern over the “violent resentment” against religious festivals of minority communities in other parts of the country
Calling upon authorities to provide security for the victimised sections of society and also take prompt and decisive action against perpetrators of violence and murder, the SAFF extended its New Year greetings to one and all.
