ACHIK highlights advantages of winter capital

ACHIK has organised awareness campaign on Winter Capital/Second Capital with Six A’khing Nokmas in Wangala Building Asanang.

The organization as a part of mobilisation had organised an awareness campaign with six A’khing Nokmas for the people residing in these Six A’khinglands.

Speaking on the occasion, the General Secretary Advocate Bernita R Marak gave a clarification on the Job Reservation Policy, 1972 and the emergence of Roster System which was a verdict of the High Court.

Advocate Bernita R Marak informed the participation about the history of the verdict of Roster System in Job Reservation Policy in Meghalaya.

She also clarified on the matters of cutoff date on Roster System and why Achik community needed to stand together on the issue.

The issue of Winter Capital was also brought up by the Education Secretary, Macklowrence M Sangma where he informed and clarified that the demand for the Second Capital in Tura is not a new one but has existed even before the creation of the state of Meghalaya.

He informed that Second Capital in Tura was in agreement with all the stakeholders during the creation of the state of Meghalaya.

He assured that ACHIK as an organization is working, mobilizing and working in tandem with the other organisations in Garo Hills.

He said that Winter Capital is not the issue of only one organization but it is the issue of the A•chik nation and regretted that some organization claims it as their issue.

He opined that Winter Capital or Second Capital should unite the Garos and other tribes or non tribals across the Garo Hills and hope to see the reality soon.

The realisation of the Winter Capital in Tura would depend on the Unity and the massive movements that the people Garo Hills can create, he concludes.

Speaker chairs meeting on new Assembly building

Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma chaired a meeting of the High Powered Committee on the construction of the new Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Deputy Speaker Timothy D Shira, legislators Charles Pyngrope, Lahkmen Rymbui, and Banteidor Lyngdoh, Chief Secretary DP Wahlang, Commissioner & Secretary, Meghalaya Assembly, Dr Andrew Simons and other government officials.

After the meeting, the Assembly Speaker informed that the HPC meeting was held to give administrative approval to the new design of the dome as well as financial approval citing the increase of scope of work.

He stated that the new design has been vetted by IIT Roorkee and IIT Guwahati, and added that construction work of the building will proceed now.

‘The HPC sat to give administrative approval (to the new dome design) and also there was some financial approval required. The scope of work has also increased,’ the Speaker said.

‘After Eid work will resume in full swing,’ the Speaker said.

He also informed that the HPC has appointed a Programme Monitoring Committee (PMC) as per the observations made by IIT Guwahati in the report on the collapse of the dome.

He also informed that the PWD & PMC has been instructed to look at the second phase of construction simultaneously.