Drug trafficker nabbed in East Jaintia Hills District

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Nov 1:  A drug trafficker was arrested along with 2 kg of Amphetamine tablets at Ladrymbai Datsympein in East Jaintia Hills District this morning.

Sanju Singh, a resident of Harijan Colony, Shillong, was travelling in a night super bus (AR 20 9990) from Silchar to Shillong along with the illegal contraband, district police chief Jagpal Singh Dhanoa said.

Acting on credible source information, a Naka was set up at Ladrymbai Datsympein at 5 am and accordingly, the night super bus was detained.

From Sanju’s possession, two backpacks containing 2.771 kg of Amphetamine tablets were recovered.

A case was registered with the Khliehriat police station and an investigation is ongoing to trace the forward and backward linkages, the SP said.

2nd round of border talks in October: CM

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 20: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today informed that the border talks with Assam for resolving the remaining six areas of difference will take place in the first week or second week of October.

Replying to a zero-hour notice moved by VPP MLA from Nongkrem Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit in the Assembly, Sangma said the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was recently in Shillong for a function and held a closed-door discussion with him regarding the border issue.

“We had decided a few things in that meeting and we will formally take those decisions forward in the next official meeting to be held sometime in the first or second week of October,” he said.

Sangma said after the meeting that the chief ministers of the two states would also visit Khanduli and other areas to send the message of peace.

“I and the Assam chief minister intend to visit Khanduli and other areas and the exact locations, we are yet to finalise. We will have a meeting in that area to meet the concerned stakeholders and ensure we send a message of peace.”

He said that the meeting held in Shillong was very productive and both states are looking forward to implementing the important decisions taken in the upcoming meeting to be held in October.

Earlier, Basaiawmoit condemned the statement of the Karbi Students Association (KSA) that a Manipur-like situation may occur if they lose their land and said, “The statement made by the leader of KSA is sufficient enough to create disharmony in the border areas.”

He also wanted to know whether the state government has taken this matter with its counterpart in order to ensure the maintenance of harmony in the border area.

To this, the Chief Minister said while the regional committee meeting was still in progress on August 16, the Karbi Students Association (KSA) came to the venue and met the regional committee members after the meeting concluded.

Thereafter, the president of KSA appeared before the media and it was during the said briefing that the president stated that “a Manipur-like situation may occur if we lose our lands, warn KSA”.

He however said, “This matter was not entertained by the Assam Minister, Piyush Hazarika who rebuked the person stating that such a statement should not be made to aggravate the situation. The minister mentioned that the aim of the committee is to bring peace and harmony between the two communities and to find out the best possible solution to resolve the border issues.”

He informed that earlier on August 30, 2023, the Jaintia Students’ Movement and KSA held a meeting in Diphu, East Karbi Anglong District, Assam in which they discussed the parameters to bring peace and normalcy along the Assam-Meghalaya border.

During the meeting, the Students Committee for Peace Initiative was formed and the committee will work on how to bring back life to normal on the interstate border and ease the communal tension.

They had also decided that representatives of the two NGOs would visit the border villages along with village elders. Further, it was decided that a similar meeting will be convened in Jowai in the coming days.

The main purpose of the meeting is to find ways and means to end the turmoil in the border areas.

Stating that as of date, the situation in the area is under close watch, the chief minister assured that all efforts are being put into ensuring that law and order in the area will not be breached adding that the district police are on high alert and regular patrolling is being conducted in and around the area.

The police are also regularly meeting the village elders and the general public, appealing to them to maintain peace and tranquillity in the area.

He informed that sufficient force has been deployed in Khanduli, Lapngap, Saitsama Outpost and Nartiang police station to deal with the law and order situation in the area.

“Apart from these efforts, there is also constant communication and coordination with the counterparts of Assam to maintain law and order in the area and most importantly to ensure that normalcy in the area is not disrupted,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sangma informed the House that the government of the day is working tirelessly towards ensuring that peace and harmony prevail along the inter-state border, and the issue of border conflicts are resolved permanently.

He said one of the endeavours of the government of the day is the sanctioning of 7 border outposts which are the Rani-Jirang BOP in Ri Bhoi, Langpih BOP and Umwali BOP in West Khasi Hills, Mooriap BOP in East Jaintia Hills, Tihwieh BOP and Mukroh BOP in West Jaintia Hills.

The creation of these BOPs has greatly contributed towards the prevention of border conflicts and most importantly, has augmented the strength of police officials in the field.

Further, Sangma said that “the initiative of the government of the day to resolve the border disputes in six areas of difference during the first phase of border settlement and the ongoing second phase of border settlement between the two states, is a testament to the fact that the government of the day is committed to ensuring peace and tranquillity prevails in the border areas and that border disputes are resolved permanently”.

‘Confrontation’ will not resolve border issue: CM

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 14: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said issues related to the long pending boundary dispute with Assam can only be resolved through discussion and dialogue but not through confrontation.

His statement came after the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) Laban Circle had threatened to close down the Karbi Hemtun (Guest House) if the Karbi people and Assam government continue to illegally encroach and harass Khasi people in West Jaintia Hills District.

The Karbi Hemtun was inaugurated jointly by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of a function, Sangma said that confrontation is not the solution.

“We are in India and obviously we have to work and discuss matters and live in peace and harmony. There are challenges, there are complications which we have to work out but it cannot be worked out by confrontation. Solutions can only come with discussion and dialogue, with understanding and trust and hence we need to ensure that we build that trust with our counterparts, be firmed with our negotiations and our terms, find ways in which we can accommodate each other and obviously in important occasions like these, these are trust-building measures,” he said.

He added, “So tomorrow you want to put up a Meghalaya House in Assam or Guwahati and if somebody says well you cannot do it, I don’t think that is a trust-building mechanism.”

“Yes, I am not saying that there are no concerns, there are concerns but to resolve those concerns, confrontation is not the solution. We need to work together to build trust and in an amicable manner move forward and that is what the message was yesterday (during the inauguration of the Karbi House),” the CM said.

Meanwhile, Sangma informed that the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya will finalise a firm program related to the second phase of border talks, in the next couple of days.

Roster system: Ampareen assures justice to every community

Spokesperson of Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government Ampareen Lyngdoh has assured that the government will come up with the best solution to ensure there is no ‘injustice’ done to any community while implementing the roster system in the state.

“We will come out with the best solution and we will ensure that solution is manifested in credible information,” Lyngdoh told reporters today.

“I appeal to the people of Meghalaya and political parties across the board to kindly allow us to collect data, to ensure data collected is credible and to ensure that in applying this roster there shall be no injustice done to any one community. We are Meghalayans and we must understand that the government is for the people of Meghalaya,” she added.

Also referring to the ongoing debates on the issue, the cabinet minister said, “I appeal to political parties to be confident that the government is taking all advisories, suggestions, being debated and we will evaluate those suggestions and we will incorporate and come out with a roster which is going to be acceptable, which is going to be justified and which is going to have credible source of data.”

Stating it is a very difficult situation, she said, “We are trying our best now to ensure that while debating and discussing this matter, we should not be seen as taking anyone’s side, we will try our best to present to the people the best solution.”

On the other hand, Lyngdoh also asserted the need for citizens of the state to ensure that a practice that was propagated since the inception of the state with its positives and negatives should not be discussed beyond logical debate while citing that reservation policy is a very unique application.

According to her, the government is also aware that the roster does in all likelihood create some sort of a sense of insecurity amongst communities that are enjoying this reservation in the state of Meghalaya.

Urging the people of the state not to underestimate the capacity of the government to evaluate what practice will benefit the state in the long run, the spokesperson said, “We have been actively engaging on understanding the roster as it was and how best can we take that forward protecting the interest of all communities who will gradually and definitely be affected by it.”

“I want to give an assurance to the people of the state that the government is engaging actively. We have been advised by various court orders to ensure that we have a systematic application of the reservation policy that will seem like a policy that is sensitive to citizens across the board. We will try our best to understand this system and to ensure that while applying it we should not seem as a government that is unjustly applying a system,” she said while adding “This order of the High Court is going to have positive application in the future. We must as a state adhere to justice for all. We must provide a fair playing ground for all communities and we will try our best to ensure that in its future application we apply the system in the best and most justified manner. We are procuring all datas from all line departments to understand how the roster has been applied in the state thus far and we will adhere to advisories that are going to be productive in the long run for the state and the citizens of Meghalaya.”

On the demand of the Voice of the People Party (VPP) to review the state reservation policy, Lyngdoh said, “Again, I want to reiterate that toying with discussion and debate about the roster on public domain coming out with statements which can seem as bias is the incorrect practice forward.”

“It is not fair to give suggestions that may not be workable or doable. So we will not talk about any one political party but we appeal to all political parties that this is a very sensitive issue, we do not want to see it go out of hand,” she said while requesting all civil societies and NGO members to have faith in the government which will come out with the best solution.

Roster system, reservation policy should benefit citizens: UDP

United Democratic Party Chief Metbah Lyngdoh has taken up the issue of the state reservation policy and roster system with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and emphasized that discussion should be in the interest of all communities in the state.

“On his (CM) first day in office, I met him personally and I discussed with him with regards to the issue of the reservation policy and the roster system,” Lyngdoh told reporters today.

“I have placed before him this very sensitive issue which needs to be discussed in detail for the interest of the people of all communities in the state and the approach has to be in a very harmonious and peaceful manner,” he added.

“First, the right platform is with the chief minister. That is the right platform. So we have aired our concerns about this issue and the chief minister has responded very positively that we will look into this issue,” Lyngdoh said.

Asked the stand of the UDP on whether the roster should be implemented with prospective or retrospective effect, the UDP leader however said, “I would like to tell you here this is a very sensitive issue. One can’t just say I like this I like that we are here for the interest of the people of our state. With responsibility and accountability, we have to ensure whatever issues that we take up it has to be in a very matured manner.”

He reiterated that the issue is very sensitive and delicate and need a very detailed discussion with the stakeholders in the government and said, “There we will place our points and give our suggestions accordingly.”

Lyngdoh also refused to comment on the VPP’s demand for reviewing of the state reservation policy and said, “I am not concerned about the points raised by other political parties I am concern about our own political party.”

When it was pointed out that the UDP had also made it clear the need to review of the reservation policy in its election manifesto, the party president however said, “That is what I am saying so we will be reviewing in what sense? In the right platform. That is where we have to understand.”

Lyngdoh also said that he does not know who brought up the need to have a special session on the issue and said that the issue need to be discussed first at the right platform then they will see from there.

Govt to discuss roster system implementation

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has informed that a meeting to discuss the implementation of the roster system will be held within this week.

“Within this week itself, we will be having an internal meeting of the government and it will take some time for us to go through all the documentations, papers, court orders, the proper interpretation and all that,” Sangma told reporters on Monday.

He informed that after discussion takes place at the government level, the same will be expanded to political parties and stakeholders.

“After taking everybody on board then we will figure out on how we should move forward,” Sangma added.

Stating that the issue is very sensitive, the chief minister said, “We have to look at all the aspects, we have to look at the court orders and the different issues that are there. Once we look at all of that and once we consult with all the stakeholders then we will make an appropriate decision.”

On the demand made by the VPP for reviewing the state reservation policy, the chief minister said, “Everybody has their own opinions. We have nothing to say about the opinions they have as it is a democratic process so obviously in democracy everybody’s voice is important. Therefore, if a political party is talking about this then they have the right to talk about it but ultimately we have to take all stakeholders on board and then we have to decide what is in the best interest and we will see as the team goes forward we will sit down, we will get the facts correct, we will get all the points out, all the issues out, we will discuss it threadbare and then we will decide on how to move forward.”

He also referred to Karnataka, which has also witnessed a similar situation arising out of the job reservation issue during the elections and said, “It is a natural thing. It is not something one can say it doesn’t happen anywhere. It happens everywhere and it is natural but what is important is we need to come together. We need to figure out how we could move forward what would be in the best interest of the state and the people and decide on how we can move forward so that is how we should do it.”

With regards to the demand for winter capital at Tura, Sangma said, “I have always believed and I have always been very clear in my mind that all these social issues that we are seeing are all related to economic development. Therefore, there are many ways to get economic development and people feel in certain regions that having a winter capital or others will allow economic development and policy making to come in.”

“Therefore, these demands have been there. Government has been very clear in its policy that we have been very development oriented and we have been working in ensuring that we are able to push the private sector into entrepreneurship – so we are hopeful these aspects will allow us to move towards the ultimate objective of having overall development in the state,” he added.