Staff Reporter

Shillong, Jan 5: Tourism Minister and MDA spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh today said that the rule of law must prevail.

He was responding to a question on the 48-hour protest called by the tourist taxi associations against the yet-to-be-implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) which seeks to increase the punishment in hit-and-run cases.

“This is a matter of concern not just for Meghalaya but the entire nation and of course we have seen a rise in cases of harsh driving and a lot of cases where drivers have taken undue advantage of the laws of the land. So the rule of law must prevail,” Lyngdoh told reporters.

The minister said, “As we speak, this is a protest that is being organised across the country so in fact movement of tourists is impeded across India and it is not something that Meghalaya on its own specially being a landlocked state not take measures of our own it has to be in tandem with what the rest of the country is doing.”

Today, tourist taxis in Meghalaya stayed off the roads in support of the country-wide protest against the BNS.

Meanwhile, the tourist taxi associations have decided to end the 48-hour protest tomorrow.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 20: The State government has decided to urge the Centre to set up an All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in the State of Meghalaya.

Replying in the Assembly today, Minister-in-charge of Health and Family Welfare Ampareen Lyngdoh said, “Since the tag AIIMS means a lot to patients from the region (the matter was discussed) with the chief minister and yes we will take up with the Centre. He (CM) is preparing a DO letter to the health minister, Government of India to see that we are also fortunate to have that kind of institute in the State of Meghalaya.”

The Leader of Opposition Ronnie V Lyngdoh said that AIIMS is not only a tag but an administrative power is more and having such an institute in the state will to a great extent ease the financial burden of the people from the region.

According to him, the government is requested to take up the matter since the Ministry wants to upgrade the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) to AIIMS-like institutions. He said that the case can be argued since the State already has the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS)

On the purpose of setting up the Meghalayan Medical Drugs and Service Limited (MMDSL), Ampareen said the MMDSL seeks to enhance drug procurement and supply management, ensuring continuous availability of medical supplies, maintenance of medical equipment for health facilities in Meghalaya, standardizing specifications, tender procedures, billing and payment systems to achieve efficiency in drug distribution.

Meanwhile taking into consideration the concerns expressed by the members on the problem of drug menace, the health minister informed that the government will set up de-addiction centres for women under the Drug Reduction Elimination and Action Mission (DREAM) project.

She said that there is no de-addiction centre for women in the state at present.

Earlier, Mawlai legislator Brightwellstar Marbaniang has urged the government to set up a de-addiction centre in his constituency, which has become one of the drug hotspots in the state.

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.