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Staff Reporter

Shillong, Jan 17: The state government will soon finalise the alignment for the construction of the proposed four lane road from Umiam to Shillong.

Informing this today, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge PWD (Roads & Buildings) Prestone Tynsong said that he held a review meeting today on the proposed road project from Umiam to Shillong.

"We had a detailed discussion and then we decided that the CE of NH Roads will again sit down with the consultants appointed by the NHIDCL in the coming days. They will sit down and then finalise the best alignment to complete that proposed project, which is very important (in view of the safety of the Umiam and dam and the bridge)," he added.

He said that the power department and the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) have already imposed a load restriction on vehicles plying the check dam in Umiam.

"We already discussed this and very soon we will be able to decide the alignment and once the alignment is decided, the detailed project report (DPR) will also be prepared immediately," Tynsong further informed.

The deputy CM said, “This will be decided by the technical experts along with consultants and once they are prepared, the government will approve the proposal. Consultants will sit down with PWD technical experts in the coming days."

On the government's plan to upgrade the four-lane Jorabat-Shillong Road to six-lane road, Tynsong said, "Yes, that intention was there. Of course, from the ministry of road transport but right now it seems I just came to know that the six-lane road will be first done from Jorabad to Nagaon side. And that survey has just started. That project is being taken care of by the government of Assam."

On the Sohra-Shillong Road, Tynsong informed that the government is contemplating converting the road into a double lane.

"Yes, that also has been included. We will convert it into a double lane. We want to convert Umtyngar upto beyond Sohra to double lane road. That has been included in the World Bank project," he stated further.

Aide et Action conducted a Stakeholder’s Meeting under the Entreprise Promotion for Sustainable Development project which aims to promote an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Meghalaya on November 13, 2024, at the State Convention Centre, Shillong. The program was held as part of the project’s phase-end review, assessing the project's outreach and impact across East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi Districts in Meghalaya.

Launched in August 2020, the Enterprise Promotion for Sustainable Development Programme has focused on skill development for youth and provided need-based training to Self-Help Group (SHG) members in these districts. For SHG training, Aide et Action holds a non-financial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society (MSRLS).

The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including MSRLS COO Mr. Ronald Kynta, who served as Chief Guest, along with state and district block officials from MSRLS. Other notable participants included representatives from the District Commerce & Industrial Centre, Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (Shillong), Synjuk ki Seng Samla Shnong, Shillong Expressway Pvt Ltd, entrepreneurs promoted under the project, SHG members, successful youth, and program alumni. Stakeholders shared insights on various government schemes to assist youth and SHG members in launching their own enterprises, extending their best wishes for future endeavors.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Oct 11: Meghalaya police is yet to clear outstanding dues of a whooping Rs 10.45 crore against hiring of a total of 156 private vehicles in 10 districts of the state.

This was revealed by the RTI findings of Disparsing Rani, a resident of Upper Shillong today.

Currently, there are over 593 police vehicles (ML 02 registration) in the 10 districts of Khasi-Jaintia and Garo Hills region. Information is however yet to be received for Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills and Baghmara, South Garo Hills.

Addressing newsmen, Rani said East Khasi Hills police has the highest pending amount of Rs 5.92 crore to be cleared against the hiring of 74 private vehicles followed by West Garo Hills at Rs 1.58 crore against hiring 35 private vehicles, South West Khasi Hills police at Rs 21.5 lakh for 6 private vehicles, Eastern West Khasi Hills at Rs 7.93 lakh for 3 private vehicles, South West Garo Hills at Rs 32 lakh for  13 vehicles, North Garo Hills at Rs 98.66 lakh for 15 private vehicles and East Garo Hills at Rs 57.35 lakh for 10 private vehicles.

“However in three districts, the department has failed to provide information sought on the matter. While police of East Jaintia Hills mentioned that they cannot disclosed the number plates of the private vehicles citing that it is prohibited as per section 8 (g) of the RTI Act, 2005, they have only indicated that Rs 8.91 lakh is pending amount to be cleared to private vehicle owners and that the department is using 45 ML 02 vehicles. West Jaintia Hills also made similar excuses by not providing information on the number of vehicles hired by the department and indicated Rs 67.57 lakh as outstanding dues to be cleared. On the other hand, the department not only refused to disclose the numbers of hired private vehicles but also failed to provide information on the pending dues and the number of ML02 vehicles,” he said.

Furthermore, the RTI activist alleged that hiring of private vehicles by the Meghalaya police is “illegal” as per the section 66 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. “The Act clearly stated that you cannot hire vehicles, which are not registered as commercial vehicles,” he said.

Stating that the government is in the process of coming up with the Meghalaya Vehicles Act and Rules very soon, Rani however said, “The question is that the Meghalaya Vehicle Act or Rule this year, whether they will adopt section 66 or not. If not, then there will be a scam in Meghalaya as most of the vehicles hired by departments and companies are private vehicles. This is illegal.”

Referring to the report of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) on irregularities in the practice of hiring private vehicles, the RTI activist said, “(The CVC report had) revealed that there is irregularities as only people with connection are getting bills while those with no connection don’t get their bills.

“I have received many complaints. Some people had to take away their vehicles due to failure to get bills. Therefore, the department has to follow rules and not based on friendship but tender should be floated (for such hiring of vehicles). As of now, those who know the people in power are given bills,” he stated.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Oct 11: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma inspected the road from Wansing Bazar to Dorrengre today.

In his interaction with the public after the inspection, Sangma said that it was the need of the community leaders of the village to have the road constructed.

“This road on Dalu-Gambegre Road is also very close to Tura and is important for the people of the area who had been meeting me persistently for the construction of this road. I am happy to share with you today that the DPR for this road has been prepared by the PWD department and soon work on this road will start,” he informed.

The road from Wansing Bazar to Dorrenge is about 5.5 kms and the sanctioned amount is 5.56 Cr.

The villagers also apprised the Chief Minister of the Chisakgre Sub Centre where an additional building was started but had been abandoned. The villagers urged the Chief Minister to revive the construction of the building and to complete it for the benefit of the villagers. The villagers also briefed the Chief Minister of the need for a transformer and a market shed in Wansing Bazar.

The Chief Minister assured the people of the area that the demands of the people would be looked into and followed up while the Market Shed for the bazar would be sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Development Fund.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Oct 7: The Shillong Book Fair, organized by the National Book Trust under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, continued to captivate book lovers on its third day. Held at the State Central Library, the event offered an engaging blend of literary exploration, digital learning, and cultural festivities.

The wide range of books on display continued to attract diverse interests, including a strong response to the animanga genre. Jordan Nongsiej, a Class VIII student, was among those drawn to the anime book stalls. “I am a big fan of anime. I love Studio Ghibli. I will check out a few books and might also buy,” he shared, highlighting the fair’s appeal to young enthusiasts.

A key focus of the day was the fun-filled informative session on Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, first-of-its-kind digital library platform introduced by the Ministry of Education. Young participants eagerly explored the app’s features, discovering new ways to access a vast collection of digital resources.

The session provided an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of this innovative virtual library.

The children’s corner was buzzing with excitement, hosting over 400 participants from various schools. The day kicked off with Swirl & Style, a cursive writing workshop led by Kasturi Sharma, where students honed their writing skills. The fair’s selfie points also became popular spots, capturing the cheery smiles and excitement of young visitors throughout the day.

To add a dynamic twist to the event, the fair featured a brief self-defence session led by Shubham Adhikari and other members of the Meghalaya Taekwondo Association.

The young participants were taught basic self-defence moves, with six-year-old Master Rudra Vir Chettri impressing the audience with his skills. Daiahun Khyriem, a Class VIII student and NCC cadet, found the session particularly valuable. “Self-defence is an important component of our daily life; we all should know the basics,” said the avid reader.

The day’s activities wrapped up with a lively cultural session, featuring traditional dance performances, including a Garo dance, and a captivating musical set by the renowned folk and fusion group Mookhuri. The evening performances added a festive spirit, making the book fair a truly memorable experience for all.

The fourth day of the Shillong Book Fair (October 8, 2024) promises more enriching activities, starting with a Musical Storytelling session, a Portrait Making Workshop, and another orientation on Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya. A book discussion on Elements of Buddhist Iconography will be held in the afternoon, offering literary enthusiasts a chance to delve into historical and cultural topics.

The day will conclude with lively music from the Pynter Orchestra Group and a performance by Kupar Shadap’s band, ensuring a vibrant end to the day’s events.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Oct 1: The Expert Committee on the State Reservation Policy will hold a public hearing at Shillong, Tura and Williamnagar from October 3.

This was informed through a notice issued by the Chairman of the Expert Committee on the State Reservation Policy in the state of Meghalaya Justice Mool Chand Garg (Retd) to stakeholders last month.

The committee will be holding a public hearing in pursuant to all the representations/consultations/suggestions/comments on October 3, 4 and 5, at Shillong and at Tura and Williamnagar on October 21 to 25, it said.

The notice also informed that the hearing in Shillong will be held at the State Convention Centre from 9 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm.

The details of the public hearing at Tura and Williamnagar will be intimated at a later date.

The committee has requested stakeholders to attend the public hearing on October 3 from 9 am onwards and to bring relevant documents in support of their respective petitions.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sep 20: The Meghalaya Media Meet 2024 on the theme “Redefining Journalism in the Digital Age,” which was the first of its kind meet in the state was held today at Taj Vivanta, Shillong, which was attended by Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma and Minister, Information & Public Relations, Dr Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh. Also present were Commissioner & Secretary, Information & Public Relations, Vijay Mantri and Director, I&PR, Malthus Sangma.

In his inaugural speech, Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, said that much needs to be done to recognize the contributions made by the journalists and added, “This was when we as a government felt the need to have programs like this to recognize and felicitate the hard work by the journalists, meet and discuss the way forward in the larger interest of the media fraternity to ensure that the sector thrives and prospers following ethical codes and also adapting itself to the technological changes.”

Stating that Journalism is not only confined to writing, the Chief Minister said that there is a constant need to adapt to changing technology and the need to update on different aspects of journalism, regular trainings and exposure trips of media personnel.

The Chief Minister also stressed on the importance of positive criticism that is a healthy practice in a democracy. He added that in the modern times because of technology there is a critical need to draw boundaries between information and opinion and news. “Today an opinion or an information is looked upon as news and it is important to have a line of differentiation,” he said.

Further, the Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of trust in the media sector. “We can sensationalize things for a short while but maintaining trust is what we should all strive for as we move along and I believe that trust is the most important aspect of Journalism,” he added.

“As we move forward, we look forward to your constructive criticism and work together in the larger interest of society,” he said. He also assured the media fraternity that the government will look into some of the welfare concerns that have been flagged by the press fraternity of the state.

Minister, Information & Public Relations, Dr Ampareen Lyngdoh said, “The media fraternity looks up to the government for a lot of things and we start today to handhold the media and to look at the ways in which we can better the lives and working conditions of the media fraternity and recognize the hard work the journalists are engaged in.”

Expressing happiness that one of the topics for the panel discussion is on handling fake news and information the Minister said, “I hope that the discussions today will deliberate on the best ways of addressing this problem when in in the present times the impacts of social media are profound and is also a concern.”

The Minister also said that topics like Ethical Responsibility, Mobile-Citizen Journalism and Artificial Intelligence are all matters that need discussion and deliberation. “Ethical responsibility is something beyond any constitutional provision and we have to ensure that the young journalists conform to ethical consideration so that we may have a media which is acceptable, palatable and non-judgmental,” she said. She also added that media houses are slowly disappearing in today’s generation because of the inability to support themselves and the government’s role in playing the balancing act are some areas that can be discussed during the media meet.

Earlier, the dignitaries felicitated eight senior journalists for their dedicated service in the field of Journalism. The journalists who were felicitated were P Marwein, Editor, Youth Today, Subroto Bhattacharjee, Bureau Chief, UNI, R M Shabong, Editor, U Rupang, M M Thaiang, Editor, Yutip, Manas Choudhury, Former Editor, The Shillong Times, Sanat Chakraborty, Independent Journalist, Linda Chhakchhuak, Independent Journalist and Sanjib Bhattacharjee, Photographer, The Shillong Times. The Chief Minister also announced an amount of one lakh from CMSG for the eight journalists.

Navigating the Evolving Media Landscape: Challenges, advantages & Future, Press Laws & Ethics, Welfare Schemes for Journalists under Government of India and Visual Content Verification were topics that were discussed during the panel discussion.

The meeting was attended by print and electronic journalists and officials of Department of Information & Public Relations from across the state.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 17: The Department of Political Science, NEHU, Shillong, organised a symposium today as part of its golden jubilee celebration to honour the life and contributions of Prof Barrister Pakem.

The event served as a tribute to the longest-serving vice-chancellor of NEHU, featuring recollections from speakers such as Prof Gassah, Prof David R Syiemlieh, and other faculty members who had closely worked with Prof B Pakem.

The speakers highlighted Prof Pakem's impact as a teacher, his status as an indigenous scholar, his tenure as president of NEHUTA, his role as the VC of NEHU, and his influence as a statesman in Meghalaya.

Prof TT Haokip, head of the Political Science department, felicitated Dr D Khonglah, the daughter of B Pakem. In addition, Prof Susmita Sengupta, Prof K Debarma, Prof Lakhan Kma, and Ms Meo shared their sentiments during the occasion. Dr Batskhem Myrboh delivered the welcome address, and Prof SP Das offered the vote of thanks.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sep 13: Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Food Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs Department has undertaken several initiatives to stabilize prices and ensure the availability of essential commodities to all citizens. A significant step in this direction has been the implementation of the Price Monitoring System (PMS).

"This system, present in every district, collects and disseminates wholesale and retail prices of 22 essential commodities to protect consumer interests and ensure these items remain affordable for the common people," A statement issued by the Department said today.

It said that in an effort to improve the representativeness of daily price data, the Government of India has expanded the number of monitored commodities from 22 to 38, effective from August 1, 2024.

This expansion includes 16 additional commodities, aligning the coverage more closely with those listed under the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.

"Shillong, Tura, Jowai, Sohra, Mairang, Nongpoh, Khliehriat, Nongstoin, Mawkyrwat, and Williamnagar have been integrated into the Price Monitoring System (PMS) application, ensuring that prices do not exceed the All-India Rate of Essential Commodities," the department said.

To further safeguard consumer interests, the Department has strengthened its monitoring mechanisms by establishing two levels of Price Monitoring Committees. The State Level Price Monitoring Committee and the District/Sub-Divisional Vigilance and Monitoring Committees. These committees are tasked with monitoring price movements and conducting regular inspections to prevent hoarding, black marketing, and unwarranted price hikes of essential commodities," it said.

The Department further maintained the Price Monitoring System (PMS) Dashboard, which captures the daily prices of essential commodities across all districts and sub divisions. This MIS Dashboard is a critical tool for enabling key decision-making by Department officials. The Retail Prices MIS of Meghalaya can be accessed on the Department’s website at https://megfcsca.gov.in.

Further, the statement said, the primary function of the Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department is to ensure that essential commodities remain affordable for the common people of Meghalaya.

"The Department is committed to preventing hoarding, black marketing, and artificial price hikes, and ensuring the availability of essential commodities in the open market. As the Minister concerned, I assure the people of Meghalaya that we will continue to work diligently to implement relevant acts and policies effectively, ensuring the well-being of all citizens," it also said.

On the other hand, the department said multiple factors have contributed to the fluctuation in prices, particularly in essential commodities like food grains, pulses, and vegetables.

The irregular and late monsoon rains experienced across parts of the country have led to widespread droughts, significantly affecting food grain and vegetable production. In other regions, heavy rainfall has caused flooding, destroying crops and further reducing supply, it said.

Additionally, with India’s population exceeding one billion, supply often struggles to meet demand, leading to inflationary pressures. The unique topography and climate conditions of Meghalaya also exacerbate these supply-demand imbalances. The high cost of labor and transportation has further intensified the situation.

The hilly terrain of Meghalaya increases transportation costs, which are subsequently passed on to consumers. The state’s reliance on imports of certain commodities from outside its borders has also aggravated the situation, as market fluctuations elsewhere directly affect local prices, it added further.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 7:  In a crackdown on illicit activities within Shillong city limits including the sale of illicit liquor, yesterday East Khasi Hills district police conducted a series of connected vice raids across the city limits from Sadar area, Police Bazar, Polo area to Mawblei and Madanrting.

The crackdown led to the seizure of 70 litres of illicit IMFL and due process has been initiated for the same. In the raids, 100 litres of illicit country made liquor was also seized, SP Sylvester Nongtnger said.

Rowdy elements were also acted against by the police team to ensure safe roads for the public, he said.

"East Khasi Hills police is committed to continue its crackdown on illicit liquor sale, drunken driving and other illegal activities, to ensure safety, security and peace for the residents," the SP added.

Meghalaya Times

Hopkinson Road Ashiana ‘E’ Azam Block 3,
Lower, Lachumiere, Shillong,
Meghalaya 793001
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