Govt to propose upgrade of AMPT road
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Sept 21: Deputy Chief Minister in-charge PWD (Road) Prestone Tynsong today informed that the State government will soon take up with the Centre for converting the Agia-Mendhipara-Phulbari-Tura (AMPT) road into a national highway.
“We want to convert it to the national highway if the Government of India agrees. We will take it up with the Ministry of Road Transport for converting the road into a national highway,” Tynsong said while replying to a query raised by AITC Rajabala MLA Dr Mizanur Rahman Kazi in the Assembly.
Tynsong said that the department has taken measures to improve the AMPT road.
He said from 0.00 to 32.00 km, the work has been taken up under the scheme ‘Upgradation/Improvement of AMPT road (32 km) under World Bank while the stretch from 33.00 to 41.00 km, the DPR is under preparation.
He said that the road from 42.00 to 66.00 km is in good condition but a few potholes have developed and will be taken up after the monsoon is over.
From 67.60 to 100.20 km, Tynsong said that the construction works are being taken up under NESID for improvement including the widening of the AMPT road.
The portion from 100.20 to 103.00 km is included in the Garobadha-Selsella-Balachanda road sanctioned by the state government and the road is in good condition.
AIM against gambling in melas
The Awakening Indian Movement (AIM) has sought the intervention of the deputy commissioner of East Khasi Hills district to ensure a blanket ban on gambling at melas being organized by different agencies.
Speaking to media persons, chairman of AIM Bansharai Marbaniang said that many people from other part of the country come to Meghalaya to host various kinds of melas, however these melas have games that encourage gambling with money which is detrimental and have a negative impact on the welfare of the people.
Marbaniang alleged that melas throughout the country are being held in order to provide entertainment to all citizens where they can experience happiness especially for children, students, and youth but at present melas in Meghalaya are being held with gambling which have detrimental and a negative impact on the welfare of the people.
“During our visit to the mela held at the Parking Lot outside Polo Ground in Shillong, the mela hosted various gambling activities with money and young people and students in uniform participated in various gambling games” said Marbaniang.
Marbaniang said that AIM is not against organizing melas in the state, however it stands against the act of gambling that is being held at the venues hence the AIM sought the intervention into this matter.
Govt wants to turn Khyndailad into a pedestrian zone
Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh today said that the state government is committed to declaring Khyndailad a pedestrian zone.
“Our commitment will be to have at least one pedestrian zone immediately and that is Khyndailad. I also had a meeting with the Chief Minister and he is fully in line with the need to declare Khyndailad as a pedestrian zone,” Lyngdoh told reporters.
He said some access to local residents which will be on the basis of car passes will be issued but the entire area will be pedestrianized.
He said that the people who suffered most in Shillong are pedestrians as you have hawkers, you have motorists using every way and there is limited scope for people to walk around.
The minister further informed that they have already started declaration of parts of Shillong as no-honking zones.
“We are in the process. The district administration and the police are in constant touch and from the tourism department, we already started by declaring Orchid, Umiam as a no-honking zone and similarly, other units of the tourism department will also be declared as no honking zones because the USP of Meghalaya is the serenity, the quiet which is disturbed by loud honking and loud music which sometimes carries beyond permissible hours,” he added.
Clans want amendment of property succession Act
Different tribal Clans have expressed support to the demand for amendment of the Meghalaya Succession to Self-Acquired Property (Khasi and Jaintia Special Provision) Act, 1986.
This was informed by Maitshaphrang Convener Michael Syiem after a meeting held with the different Clans (or Kur) at Jaiaw Shyiap community hall here.
The meeting was jointly organized with three other organizations – Khasi Students’ Union, Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People and Hynniewtrep National Youth Front as part of their campaign to pressurize the state government to bring the necessary amendment to the Act.
The objective of the amendment was to ensure the ‘equitable’ or ‘fair and just’ distribution of property among siblings in a matrilineal society.
“The Clans who attended the meeting today have expressed support to our demand and they have informed that they will be organizing similar meetings within their clans to discuss the issue before taking a final decision on the matter,” Syiem told reporters.
The State Assembly passed the Meghalaya Succession to Self-Acquired Property (Khasi and Jaintia Special Provision) Act, 1986 and received the Governor’s accent in 1986. The Act provides a special provision enabling the Khasis and the Jaintias to dispose of self-acquired property by will to any of their children.
“But when the children inherit this self-acquired property of the parents, it becomes ancestral and this ancestral goes back to the youngest daughter. So we will feel that we need an amendment to this to include self-acquired property and ancestral property as well in this Act,” Syiem had earlier said.
“Another amendment we want is that the word ‘equitable’ should also be inserted in this Act so that the parents can equitably will away their property to any of their children not necessarily only to the woman or the younger daughter,” he had stated.
The social activist had also said, “Equitable does not mean equal. Equitable according to the dictionary means fair and just so it depends on the parents to give to whom and how much. We feel that this word ‘equitable’ should also be inserted in the 1986 Act.”