SHILLONG: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee vice president AL Hek, who attended an ABVP event on Sunday, said revamping the party is imperative to keep the flag flying in the State.
The Congress leader’s presence at the ABVP event raised a few eyebrows on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of ‘Reward for the talented’, a programme of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s Shillong unit, here on Sunday, he said, “We need to revamp the party, which depends on its leaders, otherwise it will be in a shambles.”
Replying to a query as to whether the Congress was moving in the right direction taking into account the suspension of Congress leader P.N Syiem, the former Cabinet minister said, “Presently, no. The party is not moving in a healthy direction. There should be checks and balances.”
When asked about his participation in an ABVP event, Hek downplayed it saying there was nothing political about it, but admitted that BJP leaders had asked him to rejoin the saffron brigade. Hek left BJP in 2009 to join the Congress.
“Some leaders of the BJP have approached me. I was born in the BJP and if I have to go back I don’t need anybody’s permission. I don’t have to seek permission from my wife to go to my parents’ house,” he said.
Asked why he was approached by BJP, Hek said, “BJP has seen that I have been working hard and that I am approachable. Even if the party does not take me back it   is not a huge issue. It is a democracy, where there is no hundred per cent consensus.”
When asked whether he would be in the Congress in the 2018 elections, Hek said he has no inclination of joining other parties but was quick to add, “But nobody knows what will happen in the near future.”
‘Every student a nationalist’
Addressing the gathering at the event, ABVP national secretary Srihari Borikar said the organisation inculcates patriotism and nationalism among students and youths and that every student is a nationalist. “There should be nationalism instilled in every student and they should know about some of the freedom fighters.”
Criticising some organisations “that mobilise students to instigate violence”, he said, “Some organisations believe in ‘nuisance power’ whereas ABVP believes in ‘students’ power’. Power is both constructive and destructive.”
On political awareness among youths, he said, “Political awareness is the need of the hour as we see many students fight for better education and social rights.”
Hek and Borikar attended the appreciation programme for participants who took part in the drawing, debate and varied competitions organised by ABVP.
Hek lauded ABVP’s efforts for providing students a platform to showcase their talent.

Umtrew: Aniol Serrasolses of Spain was at the Umtrew River, Kyrdemkulai for the annual Meghalaya Whitewater Kayaking Fest organized jointly by Campfire Trails and Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) on Sunday.
Serrasolses says he won the world title just two weeks ago at Austria by a whisker. He had heard from kayaker friends from the UK and other countries about the superbly challenging rivers of Meghalaya and had come to explore these rivers. “I will be here for a week and then travel to Assam to check out the rivers there too,” the kayaker says adding that Meghalaya is a beautiful state and its people are extremely hospitable.
Stating that Meghalaya has a huge potential for kayaking,   Serrasolses says that this is something which the state and people should capitalise on.
Sunday saw twenty international participants and eighteen Indian kayakers take part in the competition held on the Umtrew River with its whitewater rapids.  Several spectators from Shillong and also the local people watched and cheered for the kayakers.
Zorba Laloo of Campfire Trails said no publicity was given for the competition but avid kayakers from across the globe arrived to take part because they heard of it through word of mouth.
“This could be an annual event during this season and we are grateful to the Tourism Department for enabling this to happen without a hitch,” he added.

SHILLONG: KHADC Executive Member in charge of Forest Grace Mary Kharpuri, who had earlier served as EM Taxation, on Sunday clarified that she has no information about the transfer of the Council’s fund to certain individuals despite holding charge of the Taxation department for a long period of time.
Reacting to media reports in this regard, Kharpuri said, “During my tenure as the EM of Taxation, I always told my officers to provide me with the detailed account of the revenue collected by the Council on a monthly basis.”
She also said as per the procedure, the officers would deposit the amount collected in the bank account of the Council after making the necessary calculation on the revenue collected in any particular month.
“This kind of discrepancy was never there in the past since the detailed account, which was given at the end of every fiscal year, would always show the exact amount on the revenue collected by the Council during the whole year,” the EM said.
“As per my understanding of the matter, the disbursement and deposit officer will be able to throw light on this issue.
“But I am sure that once the inquiry is complete everything will be clear,” she added.
Kharpuri, however, informed that the Council used to utilise the revenue collected from the professional tax for payment of salaries of the staff and also for other expenses.
The controversy came to light after a section of the media reported about alleged misappropriation of funds of over Rs 1 crore that was collected in the form of professional tax by the Council’s branch office at Nongpoh and Nongstoin.

SHILLONG: Following the Meghalaya Swimming Association’s (MSA) opposition to the commercialisation of Crinoline swimming pool, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has assured that he would review the bidding process in this regard.
In a media communiqué released on Sunday, MSA general secretary Ian Khongmen said the association is against the proposed Expression of Interest (EoI) on Crinoline swimming pool management and the bidding process should be stopped.
The MSA also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister in this regard on Saturday.
The memorandum, which was also submitted to Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Zenith Sangma, said the EOI floated by Meghalaya State Sports Council to obtain the services of a qualified firm for managing the swimming pool “is not acceptable”.
The statement said the government should hand over the management of the pool to MSA.
MSA apprised the Chief Minister of its objection to Meghalaya State Sports Council’s attempt to generate revenue from the few sports infrastructure in the State. Along with legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit, also a swimming enthusiast, the delegation met the Chief Minister and urged him to terminate the bidding process in the interest of promoting swimming in the State and training youngsters for the 2022 National Games that Meghalaya has proposed to host.
The members of MSA added that Crinoline pool is the only functional government-owned pool in the State and its commercialisation will spell doom for the promotion of competitive swimming and diving as the highest bidder will use the swimming facility to maximise profit.
According to MSA, the Chief Minister assured the delegation that he would review the tendering process and has agreed that in the interest of developing human capital in sports, commercialisation of sports infrastructure will be stopped.

JOWAI: The dollois of Jaintia Hills will hold a meeting here on Monday to discuss the issue of removal of three acting dollois and suspension of seven others.
During the meeting, the dollois, besides deliberating on the action taken by the JHADC, will also discuss the collection of taxes at the exit points of Jaintia Hills.
Various pressure groups including the JYF and the JSU have lauded the JHADC EC led by Thombor Shiwat for the action taken against dollois for collection at illegal toll gates in Jaintia Hills.
It may be mentioned that the Council had removed and suspended the dollois for allegedly violating JHADC rules and misinterpreting a Supreme Court order.
The High Court of Meghalaya during the hearing on October 19, while not passing any interim order, said that JHADC was free to take appropriate steps keeping in view the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India as also the order passed by the Apex Court.
HNYF slams JHADC
The HNYF Raliang circle has condemned JHADC CEM Thombor Shiwat for his alleged highhandedness and unconstitutional stand in suspending seven dollois and removing three acting dollois because these traditional heads have abided by the ruling of the Supreme Court that had permitted them to erect toll gate as per customary practice.
“The action of the CEM is against the court ruling and arbitrary,” the HNYF said in a statement on Sunday.
The HNYF said the JHADC has not issued any notification to regulate the operation of the toll gates set up by the Dollois, and this can be said to be the lacunae on the part of the JHADC and not the Dollois because they have not violated any law.
The HNYF Raliang circle also appealed to the CEM to reinstate the Dollois before the court takes note of the matter.

Nongstoin-Rambrai-Chaygoan road project

NONGSTOIN: The KHADC is all for issuing ‘no objection certificate’ to any company that takes up the proposed road project from Nongstoin-Rambrai to Chaygoan, which is a crucial stretch for the people of West Khasi Hills.
This was informed by KHADC CEM P N Syiem while speaking on the sidelines of a traditional handicrafts exhibition and food festival organised by the United Christian Secondary School at Rambrai on Saturday.
The exhibition was organised with an aim to create awareness and share ideas on how to market the traditional handicrafts items so as to provide a fillip to the local economy.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Syiem lauded the efforts of the school in providing quality education and catering to over 70 villages in Rambrai area.
Syiem also assured a sum of Rs 10 lakh from the KHADC for the extension of the school building. The programme was also attended by Mawshynrut MDC Morning Mawsor, traditional heads of Rambrai area, teachers and students of the school.

SHILLONG: After clearing the name of six candidates for the by polls to vacant seats in KHADC, the BJP has decided to field Smenlang Kyndait to contest from the lone Amlarem east constituency of JHADC. Kyndait’s name was cleared after a meeting held at the party office here on Saturday chaired by party president Shibun Lyngdoh.
Last week, the BJP had cleared the candidatures of Hubert Marbaniang (Laban-Mawprem) Mamiry Nongkhlaw (Nongkrem), Kyntiewborlang Syiemlieh (Nongspung-Sohiong), Councillor Sing Wahlang (Nongkhlaw-Mairang), Thandarsing Warjri (Pariong-Mawthadraishan) and Denester Pariong (Rambrai-Jyrngam).

SHILLONG: Former Congress leader RG Lyngdoh has stressed on the need for a genuine pre-poll understanding among all likeminded parties to take on the Congress in the 2018 Assembly polls to effect a change.
“The trend shows that there has always been a lot of talk about pre-poll alliances prior to the Assembly polls but at the end every political party engages in separate friendly fights that ultimately results in the Congress emerging victorious,” Lyngdoh said.
According to Lyngdoh, while the Congress will put up candidates in all the 60 seats, only a pre-poll arrangement binding all with a ‘lot of sacrifice’ will result in the formation of a non-Congress government in Meghalaya.
“If there is no sacrifice and understanding among the non-Congress parties prior to the polls, the situation will be advantageous to the Congress in the long run,” Lyngdoh added.

JOWAI: The man identified as Wailad Papang of Myntkung village who allegedly murdered his former wife committed suicide on Sunday.  The accused had been absconding after committing the crime.
According to police, Papang hanged himself in the forest near his native village at Myntkung. Papang separated from his wife, identified as Mumlang Langstang of Khlieh Umbuit village, two years ago.The woman was murdered near a paddy field while she was on her way back home. After committing the crime, the accused dumped the body in a stream at Khloo (forest) Umbuit. The body was later found by farmers, who informed the police.

SHILLONG: An impersonator who posed as a forest official and duped several job aspirants was arrested on Saturday from Iewduh.
Police said the accused Heimon Malang of Latyrke, East Jaintia Hills, has been at large for many months after duping several job aspirants by impersonating as an officer of the Forest Department and promising jobs in the department on payment of cash.
Police said most of the victims who fell into his trap are from Jaintia Hills.
According to police, Malang would first approach an individual and introduce himself as Jis Dkhar, an officer of the Forest department. He would then offer them an LDA job in the  department and ask for a certain amount of cash amounting between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 4 lakh.
Malang convinced most of his victims by saying they would be appointed immediately after the cash was paid. However, after he received the cash, he would pretend to be in a hurry and ignore all calls from them.
According to police, cases were registered against him under various sections related to cheating and impersonation.