NCP seeks caution in rebel hunt

Manipur-like’ situation to be avoided Shillong, Aug. 9 : The NCP today asked the Meghalaya government to ensure that a Manipur-like situation does not develop in Garo hills on account of the ongoing combing operations against the Garo National Liberation Army. Operations by commandos of the elite Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and BSF personnel to flush out GNLA militants in Garo hills are on. They are assisting Meghalaya’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandos to take on the GNLA, led by former deputy superintendent of police, Champion R. Sangma. Opposition leader and NCP legislator Conrad K. Sangma, while talking to reporters, said the prevailing law and order situation in Garo hills was tense. “The government is trying several methods, including operations by CoBRA, to take on the militants, but no tangible result has been seen,” Conrad said. While welcoming the police operations, Conrad, however, cautioned the government to ask security forces to refrain from harassing innocent citizens. “The operations are needed but they should be meticulously carried out to ensure that innocent people remain unaffected,” Conrad said while referring to the death of a civilian, Washington R. Marak, in the East Garo Hills earlier this year. While the police had claimed that Washington was a GNLA cadre, social organisations had alleged that the death of the villager was a result of a “fake encounter”. Moreover, Conrad said the government should ensure that the operations should not give rise to a Manipur-like situation. “We are worried that Garo hills could become another Manipur where innocent people were traumatised by the operations against militants. Many have even opted to join militant groups as a result of the harassment meted out to them,” he said. He also slammed chief minister Mukul Sangma and home minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh and alleged that these political leaders did not do much at the ground level. “We have seen less interference from the ruling side. Both the chief minister and home minister give minimum time to figure out what was happening at the ground level. We need political initiatives and continuous follow-up on the issue besides regular visits,” Conrad said. The Opposition leader also suggested the creation of more jobs in the rural areas of Garo hills to dissuade youths from joining any militant outfit. “People need jobs in the rural areas to create a livelihood for themselves. It is, therefore, incumbent upon the government to generate employment to ensure that youths do not leave the mainstream,” Conrad said. On the state government welcoming the offer made by the A’chik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) to assist in the flushing out of GNLA militants, Conrad said, “The government is talking to the ANVC, as the outfit is on a ceasefire agreement. The militant group, is, however, not part of the government. The government should also not refrain from mixing up the ANVC issue with that of the GNLA, as it could lead to a bigger crisis in the state, in general, and Garo hills, in particular.” Marcuise N. Marak, NCP legislator representing Rongrengiri in East Garo Hills, the main district where the GNLA is believed to be proactive, said the ongoing combing operations have led to a reduction in the activities of the GNLA. However, he said extortion is still on in the coal-rich Nangalbibra area.

Meghalaya highway projects hit road block

SHILLONG, Aug 9 – Landlocked Meghalaya’s two most ambitious projects, the 61.80-km four-laning of Guwahati-Shillong National Highway 40 and 47.06-km Shillong by-pass have hit road blocks. Construction for widening NH-40 began early this year, but it came to a standstill at Umsning, Ri-Bhoi district after controversy relating to land compensation and re-alignment cropped up recently. The Rs 536-crore project was approved by the Central Government to ease traffic snarls on NH-40, which connects Guwahati with the State Capital and extends to Barak Valley in Assam and Mizoram through NH-44. Out of the budget, Rs 167 crore has already been paid as land compensation. But, now there is confusion whether the project should be re-aligned and the existing old NH-40 in Umsning be widened as the earlier alignment seems to be passing through a church and, therefore, there is opposition. Moreover, there are other issues of land acquisition in the area. The Deputy Commissioner of Ri-Bhoi district has reportedly submitted a report on the issue. The government is yet to respond and take action on it. The Rs 220.35-crore Shillong by-pass project, on the other hand, is facing similar opposition in Mawryngkneng, East Khasi Hills from NGOs and landowners. The project is over 20 years old. The road would connect NH-40 with NH 44 by bifurcating at Umiam (Barapani) and emerging at Mawryngkneng. Trucks and other heavy vehicles moving to Jaintia Hills, Barak Valley and further would take this route. Last month, however, NGOs together with landowners from Mawryngkneng have claimed that the project has veered from its alignment. The NGOs want the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), State Government officials to go for a joint inspection and rectify the alignment. Both the projects are being monitored directly by the NHAI, although the construction is being done by private construction companies – GR Cheetak in the case of Shillong by-pass and NH-40 jointly by Infrastructure and Leasing & Financial Services Ltd. and Ramky Infrastructure Ltd. “The alignments for the projects have been approved by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and cannot be altered, so it’s up to the State Government to sort out these new problems,” a senior official from the PWD said. He said that although land has been acquired for the Shillong by-pass, however, some stretches of land in Umsning is yet to be acquired, the official said. “ILFAS and Ramsky have said that it would leave out the Umsning stretch and continue with its work. A decision is yet to be taken though,” the official said.

Shillong sounds alert across state

SHILLONG: With just about a week to go for Independence Day, security across Meghalaya has been stepped up in view of insurgent outfits of the northeast, including the "home grown" Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), calling a customary bandh on August 15.

Additional forces, including paramilitary personnel, have been deployed at various places across the capital city even as regular frisking of vehicles and patrolling along the national highway passing through the state have been intensified. "While there is no specific security threat, we are on maximum alert to thwart any possible subversive act of insurgents on Independence Day," a senior police official said.

BSF, which guards the international border with Bangladesh, has also stepped up vigil along the porous dividing line with the neighbouring country in order to prevent militants and anti-social elements from sneaking into India.

"Security along the inter-state boundary with Assam has also been increased to prevent possible movement of militants," a police officer said.

"There is increased vigil across the Garo Hills, where the banned Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) has been active of late," he pointed out. "However, national days in the Garo Hills have been traditionally held in an atmosphere of utmost peace and joy and this time around we do not see any reason for the trend to change," he added.

The Independence Day function would be held at the Polo Grounds here, where chief minister Mukul Sangma would unfurl the Tri-colour, East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner J Lyngdoh said. "Like in previous years, ceremonial parades have also been arranged for in all the district headquarters and subdivisions in the State," the DC added.

Home minister HDR Lyngdoh will be the chief guest at the celebrations in Tura, while urban affairs minister Ampareen Lyngdoh would be in Williamnagar on Independence Day.

Shillong buses gain popularity

A JNNURM BUS
Shillong, Aug. 7: The commissioning of 40 buses under the flagship Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM) on July 22 in Shillong came as a respite for thousands of commuters who were tired of the expensive cab rides and arrogant cabbies.
Last month, the transport department and the urban affairs department signed a memorandum of understanding on operation of these buses and subsequently, the Shillong Public Transport Service, a special cell of the Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC), was handed over the responsibility of operating them.
The buses have since earned the envy of cabbies, as the maroon vehicles are increasingly being preferred over the yellow-black cabs.
A cab driver, apparently miffed with the change of commuters’ attitude towards cabbies, told this correspondent, “As the buses are still new, people are enjoying the ride. But I am sure these buses will meet the same fate as that of the other MTC buses, which have now virtually collapsed.”
Once the new transport system collapsed, people would have no other alternative but to run to the cabbies for conveyance, he added.
The commuters, on the other hand, wanted the government to ensure that the system improved and remained intact.
“After the arrival of the new buses, we feel relieved, since we have been harassed by the cabbies for far too long. Apart from being economical, the buses have given the public an alternative means of transport. We want the system to improve and remain in place for the benefit of the people,” a commuter, John H. Lyngdoh, said.
On its part, the government has been appealing to the commuters to assist it in its endeavour to make the system vibrant and sustainable. From requesting passengers to ask for tickets from bus conductors to appealing to them to maintain cleanliness inside the buses, the government appears to be going all out to ensure that the state has a functional public transport system. Yesterday, the MTC assistant general manager (operations), Anthony Pariat, said some passengers had tried to damage the seats with sharp instruments, while some tried to scratch the bus bodies. “The government came up with these buses for the benefit of the public. It is unfortunate that people display such acts of destruction,” he said.
On complaints about non-issue of tickets by conductors, Pariat said many of these conductors were new to the job and their performance would improve with time.
He also appealed to the public to pay the exact amount of fare so that the conductors were not burdened.
Shillong is supposed to receive 120 buses under the JNNURM, out of which only 40 minibuses are currently plying on the roads. The remaining buses will be dispatched in due course of time.
Moreover, urban affairs minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Friday said members of the programme monitoring units would be conducting surprise checks on the buses from tomorrow to ascertain whether the commuters were satisfied with the service and would also penalise commuters found travelling without tickets.
She said the functioning of these buses would also be reviewed after three months, the countdown for which commenced on July 22 itself when the buses were officially commissioned.

Married and seeking jobs? Get certificate first

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government has made it mandatory for married persons to produce wedding certificates to apply for jobs or licences. "All departments of the government have been instructed to insist on a certificate whenever an applicant for a job or licence has indicated his or her marital status. Non-compliance of this instruction shall be deemed to be violation of a Supreme Court order," an official notification issued here said.

"Since registration of marriages has already been made compulsory in the state of Meghalaya, problems relating to maintenance can be dealt with under the extant provisions of both the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Code of Civil Procedure," the note specified.

The Supreme Court had on February 14, 2006 passed a judgment in Transfer Petition case No. 291 of 2005 in Seema versus Ashwani Kumar, directing all states of the Indian Union and the Centre that the procedure for compulsory registration of marriages should be notified by respective states within three months of the verdict by amending the existing rules, if any, or by framing new rules.

Thefts on rise in Shillong

11am on July 29: Criminals steal a laptop from Tympang girls’ hostel, Laitumkhrah, Shillong

10.30am on July 26: A girl steals Rs 5,000, a digital camera valued at Rs 41,000, two cellsphones from Ave Maria Home Hostel, Laitumkhrah

July 19: Criminals steal five fans from hostel number 17 of Nehu, Mawlai, Shillong

Shillong, Aug. 6: Educational institutions and hostels in Shillong have become the targets of criminals who want to make a fast buck by stealing computers, laptops, electronic equipment and ornaments.

While the authorities admit that the trend is alarming, there has been no breakthrough by the police.

There were also several incidents of thefts reported from the Nehu campus, especially at the residences of teachers.

The North Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (Nehuta) recently said the rise in the incidents of thefts at the teachers’ residences was a matter of concern.

The president of the teachers’ association, S.B. Prasad, said during the last one-and-a-half months, there have been five thefts on campus. Prasad said his house was robbed last month.

“The thefts have created a sense of insecurity among campus dwellers. Thefts have also been reported from other departments, particularly computers,” he added.

Though private security guards have been deployed on campus, the problem of insecurity still persists, Prasad said, adding that the university authorities should take the matter seriously.

A senior police official said when the FIRs are filed, the police are committed to taking up the cases.

“We have made several arrests in some cases and others are being investigated,” he said, adding that the police would ensure safety and security of the citizens.

New UN Journal Issue on Green Economy

The August 2011 issue of Natural Resources Forum, the United Nations Sustainable Development Journal, was recently released. Focusing on green economy and sustainable development, the special issue includes articles on societal transformations for a sustainable economy; agricultural innovations systems in response to food insecurity and climate change; a regulatory framework for biofuels governance in China; and the sustainability of green funds.