JAC leaders arrested, Blockade to continue in Meghalaya

Meghalaya police today arrested two Joint Action Committee (JAC) actvists ahead of their four night road blockade, which started off this evening following the alignment of four-laning road project in the National Highway 40 connecting Guwahati and Shillong in State s Ri Bhoi District. The JAC has intensified its stir to pressurise the state government to give up its plan to construct the highway from the existing road at Umsning. The JAC wanted that the construction of the four-lane Gauhati-Shillong road through an identified Umsning by-pass. The blockade which started off at 1900 hours would be effective on October 13, 14, 19 and 20 besides, 12-hour Ri-Bhoi district bandh from 5 am on October 21. The state police arrested JAC leaders - Eddie Kharnabi and David Kharnaior - from their respective residences at Umsning based on FIRs filed against the JAC for arsons and stone pelting on vehicles during their last month road blockade. We arrested them based on FIR filed against by certain indivuals for damaging their vehicles by stone pelting and burning of vehicles, Superintendent of Police Claudia Lyngwa told UNI. In order to prevent breakdown of law and order in the district, Ms Lyngwa said elaborate security arrangment have been made to maintain law and order. We have got additional forces to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order, she added. The district admnistration has imposed secction 144 CrPC in the entire district prohibiting obstruction of vehicular movement along the National Highway -40. Meanwhile, Public Works Department Minister HDR Lyngdoh maintianed that the government would go by the unanimous decision taken by the Assembly in the last budget session to go ahead with the four-laning work along the existing road at Umsning. NH-40 connects the Meghalaya capital with Guwahati and extends to Jowai in Jaintia Hills and Barak valley up to Tripura and Mizoram thorough National Highway-44. The Central Government has sanctioned Rs 536 crore for four- laning a 61.80 km stretch of this highway from Jorabat to Barapani. Out of the budget, Rs 167 crore has already been paid as land compensation. Work began this year and was moving smoothly till it reached Umsning in Ri-Bhoi district. Meanwhile, the JAC has decided not tow bow down to government pressure following the arrest of its leaders. We will go ahead with our stir till the government fulfill our demand despite the arrest of our two leaders, JAC Chairman Donkupar Sumer said. The JAC also alleged that the state government s decision for construction of four-lane road along the existing highway had been influenced by some petrol pump owners who have been lobbying with concerned minister. The JAC also accused politicians who own commercial buildings and other properties along the existing highway, of throwing their weight behind the government s decision in order to claim compensation if their buildings and other structures were destroyed.