The schemes for inclusion in the Draft 7th Plan of the North Eastern Council for Meghalaya were discussed at a high level meeting held here on July 23 at the NEC Secretariat.

The meeting besides reviewing the performance of the NEC Plan implemented in Megbalaya during 1983-84 also took into consideration the merits of spilling over about a dozen of on-going schemee to the Seventh Plan and made recommendations regarding inclusion of a shelf of new schemes in the Seventh Plan.

Several new schemes under N.E.C. Plan in different sectors including Transport and Communication, Agriculture and Allied Activities, Mineral Development, Sericulture and Manpower Development have been implemented in Meghalaya with an approved outlay of Rs.21.00 crore. The current year’s outlay for Meghalaya is Rs.705 crore (1984-85) while the amount released for 1983-84 was Rs.3.32 crore.

Presiding over meeting the Secretary of the North Eastern Council, Mr P.H. Trivedi explained the necessity of holding such discussion with individual Units of the North Eastern Region in order to reflect correctly the regional character of the NEC schemes besides enlisting the greater involvement of the Constitueut Units in respect of the various schemes implemented all aver the region. Referring to the various schemes which have been already sanctioned, Mr Trivedi stressed the need for completing the old schemes as far as possible during the Sixth Plan itself.

The decision regarding the rope way could be taken after the finalisation of the decision regarding the setting up of the Cement factories. Regarding the schemes for which setails are not yet ready, Mr Trivedi disclosed that such schemes could be included in the Draft Seventh Plan, after the NEC Experts and the State officials of Meghalaya make a joint study and submit the report within the stipulated time. Mr V. Ramakrishnan, Development Commissioner, Meghalaya who led the team of Meghalaya official explained the justification of including of the ongoing schemes as spill over schemes in the Seventh Plan. He also mentioned about the necessity of provision for maintenance of completed NEC schemes left uncovered by 8th Finance Commission. He also pleaded for inclusion of a few new schemes like Science and Technology, Planetorium and Telescope. Referring to the Inadequate postal and telecommunication facilities in Meghalaya, Ramakrishna pleaded for extension of Te1ephone facilities to every Block Headquarters.

The Govt of Meghalaya has announced the setting up of an official committee to work out the details of fencing along the Indo-Bangla border.

The Committee would determine4 the areas for fencing on the border with either solid wall or barbed wire whichever is considered necessary and would suggest other measures for preventing unauthorized entry of people from across the border, an official press release said. The Committee comprises the following members: – Additional Chief Secretary (Chairman) Commissioner of Division for Garo Hills. Special Secretary Political Department, Special Secretary Revenue Department, Special Director, Prevention of Infiltration Cell and ex-official Additional Secretary, Political Department, (Member Secretary.) IGP Meghalaya. I.G. B.S.F., Shillong, Joint Director of Surveys, Meghalaya

The Meghalaya Congress (I) has been quietly preparing itself for the parliamentary polls. Although no formal notice has been served on the partymen, already three4 applications have been received for the party ticket for the prestigious Shillong seat.

Sources close to the party said that the three contenders for the ticket are Mr D D Pugh, former APHLC Chief Minister who joined the party a few months ago, Mr Maham Singh, a die hard Congressman, and Prof. Alexgender Warjri, former Rajya Sabha MP who too resigned from the APHLC to join the national party barely six month ago.

The party bosses, sources said, have been exercising their minds about making the right selection. It is said that the party wants to complete the formalities of nomination well ahead of time for enabling him more time for establishing contacts with wider sections of the electorate.

Sources indicated that from the emerging trends it was probable that the choice may eventually fall on Mr Pugh. However, in that event dissension may develop among section of partymen who feel that a “proven Congressman” should be nominated. Although Mr Maham Singh is also a strong contender, some quarters feel that his religious affiliation may prove to be a big liability.

According to one source there may yet be another contender for the Congress (I) ticket a cabinet Minister from Khasi Hills who is said to be exploring his prospects.

Meanwhile, the Jaintia Hills District Congress (I) Committee is reported to have decided to request the PCC to award the ticket to the Indian envoy in Canada, Mr G. G. Swell.

According to one report, Mr Martin Narayan Majaw has announced his willingness to contest the ensuing poll. It is however not clear whether or not he will be allowed to use PDIC symbol since he has been “ousted” for the party by a section of the party functionaries.

The APHLC-HSPDP combine has not met as yet on the issue. Informed, however, do not rule out the re-nomination of Dr B R Kharlukhi the sitting Member.

As for Tura seat, the Congress(I) is sitting pretty with Mr Purno Sangma as its obvious nominee. Who will be the Opposition candidate is the only matter to be awaited with interest.

The Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi has agreed to formally inaugurate the first two units 25×2 = 50 MW) of the Kpili hydel Project, according to an authoritative source here.

Althoug no firm date has been fixed as yet, indications are there that she may come coinciding with her election tour of the North East. Meanwhile, Governor Bhishma Narayan Singh paid a two day visit to Garampani on August 11 to familiarize himself with the

Rs. 149-02 crore project.

Under the initiative of the North Eastern Council (NEC), the Union Industries Ministry has agreed to set up two Field Testing Stations (FTS), one in Gauhati in Assam and the other at Agartala in Tripura.

The establishment of the FTS with general engineering testing laboratories, has become necessary due to difficulties faced by the Small Scale Industry (SSI) units of the North Eastern Region by obtain Indian Standard Institutions (ISI) certificate in respect of their products. With a view to helping solve these problems and alleviate the difficulties faced by the SSI units of north eastern region, the NEC took up the matter with the Union Industries Ministry to set up a branch office of the ISI in the region. With the setting up of the above FTS offices, facilities would new be provided to SSI units and entrepreneurs of north eastern states and union territories for testing and certification of their products.

The High School Leaving Certificate Supplementary Examination, 1984 of this Board will begin from August, 25 next.

The Examination will be held at Shillong, Jowai and Tura Centres.

Applications forms for the purpose will be available from the Headmasters, Govt. Boys’ High School, Shillong, Jowai and Tura respectively.

Eligible candidates intending to appear in the Examination will have to submit the application forms duly filled in together with the fees and Admit Cards of the HSLC Examination, 1984 to the Headmaster concerned on or before July 16.

The Headmasters will submit the fees and forms along with the statements of the Candidates to the Board Office, Tura latest by July 23.

Two persons died near Happy Valley firing range on the night of July 8-9 last when a stranded lorry was swept away and submerged in a ferocious stream swollen by a flash flood.

According to Police, the lorry had developed some mechanical defects while a top a wooden bridge. The driver and handyman had gone to fetch mechanics leaving two labourers behind When they return there was no trace of lorry. A flash flood had swept away the lorry and the bridge. The victims who were inside the vehicle did not have any semblance of a chance to make attempts for survival.

The bodies have since been recovered and sent for post mortem.

In two highway robberies in East Khasi Hills this week two truck drivers were robbed of their valueables.

In one incident near Sumer, five persons waylaid a truck driver and dispossed him of his cash. The robbers escaped in a jeep. The driver reported the matter to Barapani Beat House and the police arrested all the five men and recovered the cash intact.

In another incident, four persons stopped a vehicle at Khanapara and took away two wrist watches and Rs.500 from its driver. The Police was successful in nabbing the culprits and recovered the looted materials.

On the rainy evening of July 22, a taxi (MLS 7482) rammed into the car of the Editor of this weekly near the State Bank Regional Office at Dhankheti, and left the vehicle completely battered. The Editor who was t the wheel, had a providential escape suffering only fractures of the teeth and some bleeding injuries.

The accident occurred at 7:30 P.M. when the taxi, approaching from opposite direction, suddenly swerved and his the car near the driving seat. There was no other vehicle on the road at that time.

The cabinet left the taxi on the middle of the road and disappeared from the scene. Police promptly arrived at the spot and towed the involved vehicles to the Police Station.

Curiously, till the time of sending these lines to the Press, neither the driver surrendered before the police nor anyone came to claim ownership of the taxi.

Police said that according to records available with them the owner is a resident of Nongspung in West Khasi Hills. Police have so far not sent any intimation to him hoping that he would appear on his own.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the taxi is being operated by an employee of the Public Health Engineering Department as a “benami trade”. There is, however, no confirmation of the report.

Incredible though it may sound, Cherrapunjee – – the wettest spot on earth – grapples with acute water shortage, when it does not rain.

With 10,000 mm annual rainfall its credit, Cherrapunjee is unable to supply adequate drinking water to its 20,000 residents almost half of the year.

According to Mr P K Roy, A Geologist of GSI, Shillong, both Man and Nature have contributed to this plight.

Mr Guha Roy, who carried out a recent study on the problem, concludes that the persons in the helm have not done enough to mitigate the sufferance of the people. On the other hand the unavourable geo physical conditions obtaining in the area do not hold out any promise of ground water reserves.

The residents of Cherrapunjee, during the dry season, are compelled to do laundry and bathe in the thin trickles of the nearby streams. It is a common sight that men and women trek down a good distance for obtaining some water.

Cherrapunjee, with a population of about 20,000 has been divided into Upper , Middle and Lower Cherra for water supply arrangement. Three separate water works cater to three sectors of the town. The Upper and Middle Cherra water supply systems are based on two spring about 4 km north of Cherrapunjee. Water is conveyed from the intakes by two 75 km pipe lines to storage tanks from where water is fed into the distribution network at fixed times. Tapping a spring in Lower Cherra Water Works directly feeds spring water into the distribution network through a trunk pipe line, 20,000 mm long and 50 mm in diameter.

All the three systems operate on gravity and no pumping is involved.

Public Health Engineering Deptt is responsible for operating the Upper Cherra Water Supply, whereas the Middle Cherra Village Committee and local PWD office operate the Middle Lower Cherra Water Supply systems respectively. No written record is available with these organizations about production, distribution and technical details of the water supply schemes and some information’s were obtained by Mr Guha Roy by interviewing the concerned persons.

The spring supplying water have very poor discharge during the dry season and the total daily yield a “guesstimate.” Made by Mr Guha Roy was of the order of 6,00,000 liters in February, 1984. The present demand estimated at 2 million liters per day on the basis of WHO norm, renders the daily shortfall in the order of 1.4 million liters, which is about 70% of the current demand. People supplement their water requirement by bathing and washing in the streams which are but mere trickles during the dry months.