NONGPOH, June 30: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has threatened to forcibly shut down government works at Umling, accusing the Conrad Sangma-led MDA 2.0 government of “betrayal” by attempting to convert a strategic influx-monitoring facility into a tourism food court.
Union leaders, led by KSU Central Executive Committee Vice-President Pynkmenlang Sanmiet, inspected the site on Tuesday and met with the District Tourism Officer following reports that the state intends to repurpose the entry point for tourism infrastructure.
The Umling Facilitation Centre, inaugurated in 2020, was established as a primary shield to monitor the entry and exit of people under the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA). Sanmiet expressed disappointment that the government is prioritising a food court over the long-standing demand for regulated entry.
“The government has failed to effectively implement the MRSSA nearly a decade after it was enacted in 2016,” Sanmiet said. He pointed out that while Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma had assured the State Legislative Assembly in February that the government was exploring legal avenues to address judicial scrutiny surrounding the Act, the move to dismantle the Umling facility contradicts those promises.
The KSU clarified that while it does not oppose tourism development, the Facilitation Centre must remain operational at the site. The Union warned that if the Tourism Department proceeds with the food court without ensuring the facility’s primary function is preserved, they will move to halt construction immediately.
“We will soon meet senior government officials to reiterate our demand,” Sanmiet said, adding that “time would determine the course of events”—a clear signal of potential escalation if the government does not reverse its decision.
