Govt ensuring health of JNV, Niangbari students

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 19: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma today said district school education officer (DSEO), Ri Bhoi has been asked to conduct regular monitoring and supervision on the JNV, school, Niangbari to ensure the incident of students falling sick is not repeated.

“The state education department has also taken serious note on the matter and has instructed the district school education officer, Ri Bhoi district to conduct regular monitoring and supervision on the said school and also to ensure that such incident is not repeated,” Sangma said while replying to a call attention motion moved by UDP MLA from Nongpoh Mayralborn Syiem in the Assembly.

He said the complaint of the residential students of the particular school has no connection with the PM Poshan (Mid-Day Meal) Scheme under the State of Meghalaya.

He informed after observing visuals that appeared on a news channel on July 26 that students of the school fell sick, immediately on July 27, the deputy commissioner deputed the Food Safety Officer, Ri Bhoi District, Nongpoh and a report submitted by FSO along with the executive magistrate to collect the samples of water and food for testing and conduct an enquiry on the matter.

Thereafter, the samples of water and food collected were sent to the state food testing laboratory, Pasteur Hills, Government of Meghalaya on the same day for analysis.

On August 2, the Food Safety Officer was again deputed to conduct a surprise checking inspection on the quality of food given to the students of JNV, Niangbari, during dinner time and to take samples of the same and get it tested and report has been submitted by FSO and food samples served to the students on that day were collected and sent to Mitra SK Private Limited, Building P-48, Udayan Industrial Estate, 3 PAgladanga Road, Kolkata West Bengal for analysis.

With regards to water supply, Sangma said a letter has been forwarded to the PHE department to prepare an estimate of a deep bore well construction at JNVSchool, Niangbari and the deposit work estimate for providing additional water supply at JNV School (proposed by drilling of bore well, construction of storage tank, pump house etc) amounting to Rs 33.86, 240 have been prepared and submitted by the EE PHE department and the same has been forwarded to Principal JNV, Niangbari for onward approval from the competent authority.

Based on the inquiry reports, the deputy commissioner also issued strict instructions to the school principal of JNV, Niangbari for compliance to ensure that only fresh and hygienic food is provided to the students.

HANM opposed to changing of India to Bharat

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 15: The Hynniewtrep National Achik Movement (HANM) today informed that it will write to all three Member of Parliament (MP) of the state to oppose the move of the central government under the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to change the name of India to Bharat.

 

Speaking to media persons, HNAM president Lamphrang Kharbani alleged that the motive of the central government to change the name of India to Bharat is to impose one religion in the country which is against the constitution of the country.

 

Kharbani said that such an idea to change the name to Bharat also indicates that the BJP-led government disregard the people who are not familiar with the party ideologies like language, religion, practice and customs.

 

He added that the intention of the BJP government to rename India to Bharat is unacceptable and the HANM and the people of Meghalaya strongly oppose this since India is a diverse nation formed by nearly 500 kingdoms including the Khasi States.

 

“The HANM strongly opposed the renaming of India to Bharat and we also urged our MPs to oppose this in the parliament” said Kahrbani.

 

Kharbani said that if the BJP-led government decides to go ahead with renaming India to Bharat, then it will clearly show that the party does not respect the kingdom that was formed to make India and this might lead to mass protests all over the country including in Meghalaya.

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.