Meghalaya minister fined for illegal parking

SHILLONG, Dec 16 – A no-nonsense Meghalaya traffic police department today compelled a Cabinet Minster to pay a fine of Rs 1000 for illegally parking his vehicle at the busy Police Bazaar area here with onlookers hailing the cops’ move.

The incident happened at about 4 pm when the Police Bazaar area was teeming with vehicles and the traffic police on the spot was having, as usual, a harrowing time to control the traffic. The policemen during that time noticed a brand new Scorpio ML 05 TC 004 (a) with red lights parked at an unauthorized area at the busy intersection, an eye witness said.

The policemen on duty got to their work and summoned a towing truck to the spot. However, Community and Rural Development Minister, Saleng Sangma appeared at the scene and claimed the vehicle as his.

The traffic policeman immediately tore out a fine receipt slip (No. 1737) and asked him to pay the mandatory fine of Rs 1000 for traffic rules violation. The Minister relented, paid the fine and whizzed off.

“This is the way policemen should carry on with their work. If Lawmakers breaks the law, they must be treated as lawbreakers,” one of the onlookers said.

Apart from the Minister’s vehicle, an Army bike bearing registration number AS 1J 9853 was towed away during the same time. “We aren’t going to spare any violators, especially during this busy festival time,” a traffic police official posted at the site warned.

Meanwhile, pedestrians’ life has become difficult since the main avenue leading to the shopping arcades in Police Bazaar is in utter disarray with construction works on.

Unattended culverts, rocks, potholes and open drains have made shopping dreadful. The Urban Affair Department has dug up the whole area to beautify it from October this year, but worryingly there aren’t any significant safety measures undertaken to clear the huge piles of rocks and barricading drains and potholes.

“This whole beautification thing could have started after the New Year celebrations as the project is unlikely to be completed within a few days or months. And what is the idea to dig up the entire stretch, instead of taking up the work in a phased manner,” an irate shopper said negotiating some of the culverts and potholes left by the department.

Health officials undergo training at IIM-Shillong

Shillong, Dec 15 (PTI) With the aim to provide a patient-friendly and socially-proactive modern health care system in Meghalaya, some state health officials completed a one-month training at the IIM-Shillong today. The training programme focused on bringing healthcare officials together to learn how to make their projects more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable, offiial sources said. Twenty health officers were initially divided in three batches with the training for the first batch having commenced on November 15 last. An IIM official told PTI, "The IIM (Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management, Shillong) has agreed in principle to train 500 doctors of Meghalaya state health services over a period of three years." "In the end, the IIM and the government, target to regenerate the natural, social, human and financial capital for both short and long term prosperity," the official said. The practice-oriented 30 day-intensive training is aimed at preparing participants with a deeper understanding of the social and business consideration necessary for more successful management of healthcare infrastructure projects in the state under National Rural Health Mission. "Field Visit during the training helped the participants to see improvement that can be made in context of the inputs given in lectures, helped them to understand the improvement of functioning when participants go back to their work places," the official said. The training is supported by leading doctors from reputed hospitals in the country- Apollo Gleneage, Kolkata , Military Hospital, Shillong, NEIGRIMS, Shillong NEMCARE, Guwahati.

Police inspector and transport officials held for extortion

Shillong, Dec 15 (PTI) Six persons, including a police inspector and transport officials, were today held for illegally collecting money from coal-laden trucks along the Shillong-Jowai road in Meghalaya, police said. Inspector Marbid Rynjah and some transport officials have been detained, a senior police official told PTI adding that these people have been indulged in robbing trucks plying along the highway. Irked at the insensitivity of the law enforcement officials, many people have lodged complaints with the police, he said. According to the police, Additional SP (Crime) Vivek Syiem laid a trap and apprehended them while they were detaining and collecting money from trucks. Two vehicles used by these criminals were also seized, police said.

Lanong urges police trainees to be peace makers

SHILLONG, Dec 15 – Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M Lanong today urged newly-inducted police officers to uphold the law of the land without any bias and try being peacemakers.

Addressing the passing out parade at the North East Police Academy near here, he said, the authority that the officers would have now must be used judiciously for the benefit of the general public.

Altogether 96 police officers were inducted in the police force. These officers would be deputed to their respective States in the North East. Thirty-two passed out as DSPs, 56 Sub-Inspectors and eight Assistant Sub-Inspectors.

Calling the officers “peacemakers,” Lanong said they should try to “be friends and guides of the people” of the State where they would serve.

Director of the Academy, Anil Kumar Mathur said women trying to get into the police force are an encouraging sign in the male- dominated profession.

“We expect more women joining the police force as it would give new impetus when it comes to handling issues relating to women,” he added.

Some of the inducted female police officers said they would try giving justice to women in their respective States with their newly acquired skills at the academy.

Thungrhoni Kikon was honoured with the Governor of Meghalaya “Sword of Honour” for being the all-round best DSP.

Meghalaya consent for border development

Members of Nongspung syiemship at the meeting with the executive member of KHADC Lamphrang Blah on Tuesday in Shillong. Picture by UB Photos
Shillong, Dec. 14 : Meghalaya’s residents along the inter-state border with Assam have no objections if Dispur carries out development work in their villages, provided it makes no territorial claim on the land.
This came to the fore after a traditional chief (syiem) of Nongspung syiemship Peter Roger Syiemiong met officials of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) today following allegations that the former had allowed the Assam government to construct a road along some of the border villages in Ri Bhoi district.
According to an agreement signed between Peter Syiemiong and the Assam government on December 3, approval was given for the construction of a 10km road on the land and territory falling within the syiemship.
The Assam government, represented by Gauhati West legislator Hemanta Talukdar and Assam minister for border areas development Siddique Ahmed, confirmed that they will not stake territorial claim or land rights over the portion of road that runs from the syiemship (along Patgang, Longkhung, Jimrigang and Bakhlapara villages). These villages fall within the territorial and administrative jurisdiction of Meghalaya.
Moreover, it was agreed that even after the construction of the road, the traditional chief will exercise all rights over administration and other customary functions that has been under his supervision so far.
It was also agreed that the syiemship would grant the no-objection certificate to the Assam government based on the above conditions.
The agreement was made as the construction of the 10km Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) road is expected to bring about development in the area.
However, a complaint was lodged against Peter Syiemiong by the adviser to the syiemship, W. Syiemiong, accusing the former of “arbitrarily” selling land to the Assam government.
After meeting the members of the syiemship dorbar, KHADC executive member in-charge of elaka administration Lamphrang Blah fixed December 19 as the date for settlement of the dispute.
Speaking to reporters, Peter Syiemiong said the road would help the villagers staying along the border in the transport of their agricultural produce.
“This road will bring development to our people, but that does not mean we would lose our territorial integrity,” he added.
Justifying the December 3 agreement, Peter Syiemiong said this was “in harmony with the agreements signed between the chief ministers of the two states.”
On June 6, 1992 former chief ministers of Meghalaya and Assam D.D. Lapang and Hiteshwar Saikia had agreed in Shillong to maintain the status quo and allow development activities to continue along border areas.
Also, on July 18, 2008 in Dispur, then Meghalaya chief minister Donkupar Roy and his Assam counterpart Tarun Gogoi had also agreed to allow development work to continue “in the interest of the people living in the border areas with prior intimation to either side.”
On June 5, 2010, incumbent Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma and Gogoi had inked a similar agreement in Dispur after talks were held following the Langpih firing incident on May 14 last year.
The two governments have been maintaining a status quo in the border areas with a strong pitch for a “give and take policy.”
Moreover, a joint committee of chief secretaries from the two states was formed to follow up issues relating to border dispute.
In the last meeting of the chief secretaries held in Dispur in August it was decided that both the states would go into the details of 12 sectors or areas of differences, including Langpih, before arriving at a solution.
During the meeting, Meghalaya had submitted documents and maps related to its claim on the 12 sectors in the inter-state border.

Meghalaya youths rescue coal trader

Shillong, Dec 12 (PTI) An coal trader abducted by Meghalaya's Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) was rescued by a group of youths while they were taking him to a secluded place in Meghalaya, police said. The incident took place at Wardro village in West Khasi Hills district at around midnight on Saturday, sources said. According to the police, six GNLA rebels abducted the coal trader from nearby Shallang coal belt area in the district. They said, the armed rebels abandoned the trader when the youths who were guarding the area stopped them. The GNLA has been pushing their area of operation in the coal belts of West Khasi Hills district and this has prompted the youths to keep vigil at night, police said.

Take Shelter - December 19th

Dear All,

Merry Christmas from all at sciSCREEN. Our next event will be on December 19th from 6pm at Chapter Arts Centre when we will be screening the film Take Shelter. We have four speakers lined up for the event who will touch on themes such as the psychiatry of hallucinations, states of consciousness, risk and uncertainty, and disclosure and the family: This event is being sponsored by the MRC CNGG at Cardiff University.

• Dr. Ian Jones, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics


• Dr. Katie Featherstone, School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies


• Dr. Colin Young, School of Social Sciences


• Dr. Louise Childs, School of History, Archaeology and Religion
  
  
  
  Please note that previous events have been overcrowded and for this event we will have to limit the number in the seminar room to 50-55 people on a first come, first served basis. We are in the process of setting up a new system for the New Year. We apologise for any inconvenience that this might cause.