Page 7 - Meghalaya

Set up committee on job reservations: All party meet tells Meghalaya govt

The Meghalaya government set-up all-party meeting to review the 1972 job reservation policy has proposed the constitution of an expert committee to review the policy. The all-party meeting was held on Wednesday chaired by Meghalaya Law Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh. The meeting proposed the constitution of an expert committee to review the state's job reservation policy, Lyngdoh said. The expert committee should have legal, constitutional and economic background experts that will look at data and evaluation of population, she said. "The (constitution of an expert committee) will be one of the suggestions to be sent to the government by the committee," Lyngdoh told media persons after the meeting with leaders and representatives of all political parties including those of the agitating Voice of the People's Party (VPP) on Wednesday. She, however, said that not all political parties are in agreement to have an expert committee. "There are political parties who agreed and there are poli

Meghalaya govt reconstitutes committee reviewing state reservation policy

The Meghalaya government has reconstituted a committee to review the state reservation policy in the backdrop of an indefinite hunger strike launched by the opposition Voice of the People's Party (VPP) seeking changes to the existing reservation formula, an official said on Wednesday. The committee was reconstituted on Tuesday and will hold a meeting with political parties on the issue on Wednesday, he said. The committee will be headed by the state Law Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh. A final decision on the reservation policy will, however, be taken only after Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma holds a meeting, his deputy Sniawbhalang Dhar told PTI on Wednesday. "The issue is sensitive and needs to be discussed at length. However, it should not be discussed in the streets but across the table ... The government will take a decision with the best interests of the people and the state in mind," he said. The VPP is raking up the reservation issue, which does not have the support of the ot

Meghalaya inks MoU with NIOS to facilitate return of dropouts to schools

Concerned with the high dropout rate in Meghalaya, the state government on Tuesday signed an MoU with the National Institute of Open Schooling to facilitate the return of dropouts to educational institutions. While Assam recorded the highest dropout rate in the country with 31 per cent of out-of-school students at the secondary level, Tripura with 29.8 per cent is ranked number 2, an official of the education department said. Meghalaya with 27.9 per cent drop out rate in secondary level is ranked third followed closely by Madhya Pradesh (26.1 per cent) and Nagaland (24.4 per cent), he said. An MoU for identification of Out of School Children (OoSC) and enrolling them into the NIOS Study Centres was signed between the Samagra Shiksha authorities and the National Institute of Open Schooling, a statement said. Samagra Shiksha' state project director Swapnil Tembe and NIOS chairperson Saroj Sharma were present on the occasion. At present Meghalaya has only 25 NIOS study centres in 5

Meghalaya board declares class 10 results, only 51.93% students successful

The Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) announced the results of the class 10 final examinations on Friday, in which only 51.93 per cent of the appearing students were declared successful. Samridhya Das of Sherwood School in Tura secured the first rank in Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination for class 10 by scoring 572 out of 600 marks. Jyotipriya Bhattacharjee of St Margaret's Higher Secondary School in Shillong secured the second rank by scoring 570 marks. Tanushri Acharjee, also of St Margaret's Higher Secondary School, Ritam Deep Chowdhury of Sherwood School and Salrime M Sangma of St Xavier's Secondary School shared the third position by scoring 564 marks. Of the total 51,280 students from 656 schools appearing in the exams, only 26,629 were declared successful. This year, the pass percentage went down to 51.93 from last year's 56.96 per cent. The MBoSE also announced the results for the Arts stream of Higher Secondary Leaving Certificate (HSLC) ...

Meghalaya health authorities rope in religious bodies on tobacco awareness

Health authorities in Meghalaya have turned to religious leaders to seek their help in spreading awareness on tobacco-related cancer, officials said on Wednesday. Meghalaya records about 8,000 deaths per year due to cancer out of which 70 per cent are tobacco-related cancer cases, they said. The state also has a record 131 cancer cases per 1 lakh population and this is ten times the national average, cancer surgeon at the North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences Dr Caleb Harris told PTI. At the institute alone, about 1200 cancer cases are recorded annually and about 750 800 cases are tobacco-related cancer cases, he said adding that esophageal cancer, the most prevalent in the state, is caused by use of tobacco, alcohol and betel nut, and hence is preventable. Involvement of religious leaders would go a long way in this regard as they are in a position to influence the masses effectively. It was imperative, NEIGRIHMS director Nalin Mehta said a .

Assam, Meghalaya CMs scheduled to meet today to discuss border disputes

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma are scheduled to meet here on Wednesday to hold further discussions on resolving border disputes between the two states in six remaining areas. The chief ministers of both the states are also likely to visit the disputed areas later as a goodwill gesture, officials said. Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate state in 1972 and it had challenged the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, leading to disputes in 12 areas of the 884.9 km long border between the two states. Sarma on assuming the Chief Minister's office in May, 2021 had announced that his priority was to resolve long-standing boundary disputes with neighbouring states. Subsequently, three regional Committees were set up in August 2021 to resolve the issues in a phased manner. The regional committees submitted their recommendations which were handed over to Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi by the two chief ministers, followed

Meghalaya has more schools, teachers than other NE states: CM Conrad Sangma

Meghalaya has close to 14,000 schools and over 55,000 teachers, significantly higher than other small states in the Northeast region, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Tuesday. The state incurs an annual expenditure of almost Rs 2,200 crore for these institutions, the chief minister said while addressing the centenary celebration of Jaiaw Presbyterian Higher Secondary School here. According to Sangma, the expenditure is not enough and Meghalaya needs to strive harder to be among the top-performing states in the country's education sector. He announced that an Education Commission will be set up soon to look into all aspects of improving the education sector in the state. During the function, the chief minister also announced a grant of Rs 20 lakh from the Chief Minister's Special Development Fund for expansion of the school building.

Meghalaya district imposes restrictions to tackle African Swine Fever

District administration has imposed restrictions and prohibited various activities under 144 CrPC in Meghalaya's Eastern West Khasi Hills following outbreak of ASF, officials said

Banned Garo National Liberation Army regrouping in west Meghalaya: Official

Banned Garo National Liberation Army is regrouping and trying to send young people from the western Garo Hills region of Meghalaya to Myanmar for basic guerrilla warfare training, officials said on Monday. The state administration has already taken measures to thwart such attempts and is monitoring activities of surrendered cadres of the outlawed organisation, they said. We have inputs that the GNLA is regrouping. The information is internal and actions have been taken, a senior home department official told PTI. Some youths have been recruited, and attempts have been made to send them to Myanmar to pursue basic guerrilla warfare training, he said. In a wireless message 10 days ago, a special branch deputy SP had urged officers in all police stations in Meghalaya to strengthen the intelligence network to monitor movements of former members of the outfit, he said. Monitor closely the movements and activities of surrendered/arrested cadres of the outfit, known overground ...

Meghalaya CM meets Scindia, submits proposals to set up heliports, airport

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday met Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in New Delhi and submitted proposals to set up heliports and an international airport in the northeastern state to boost tourism. The existing Shillong airport has a short runway, which is not feasible for landing of big aircraft, while the Baljek airport in Garo Hills district remained unutilised, an official said. Met Hon'ble Union Minister for @MoCA_GoI, Sh. @JM_Scindia ji & presented proposals to establish heliports in Shillong & Tura, to set up an international airport in Meghalaya & to operationalize the Baljek Airport. These proposals are aimed at boosting our state's tourism potential & economic growth through air connectivity, Sangma said on Twitter. Notably, the Meghalaya High Court has recently directed the state government to identify a few pockets of land for the construction of a greenfield airport as the existing facility cannot be extended to ...

Sohiong bypoll in Meghalaya over peacefully, 91% voter turnout recorded

By-election to Sohiong assembly constituency in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district was peaceful with 91 per cent of eligible voters exercising their franchise till the end of polling on Wednesday, Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said. No untoward incident was reported during the polling that began at 7 am, he said. "Polling was scheduled to be closed at 4 pm. However, voting continued till 7 pm in a few of the 63 polling stations as there were long queues. There was enthusiasm among electorates," the CEO told PTI. Over 91 per cent of more than 34,000 eligible voters exercised their franchise, he said. There were long queues in front of several polling stations an hour before the voting process started, he said. "No law and order issue was reported. Some issues regarding EVMs were reported in a few polling stations and those were fixed. Voting was held in a free and fair manner," he said. However, over 1,450 litres of liquor worth around Rs 4 lakh were seized during the

Over 92% of 34,783 voters cast votes in Meghalaya Assembly by-election

Over 92 per cent of the 34,783 voters cast their votes on Wednesday in the by-election to the Sohiong Assembly constituency in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district

Meghalaya Spice Trail: Food pop offers best of northeastern cuisine

An ongoing food pop-up, "Meghalaya Spice Trail", is giving a unique twist to local northeastern delicacies by transforming into gourmet delights. The 10-day festival, being held at The Pullman Hotel here, is curated by Shillong-based food connoisseur Tanisha Phanbuh. From sauted and pickled Mushrooms to 'Jadoh Risotto' (rice with meat) and 'Doh Neong' (pork in black sesame seed gravy), the special culinary treat promises to have a fair share of exotic regional dishes for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. "Being born amongst the vibrant flavours of Meghalaya, I intend to carry the essence of the Northeast and aim to spread the aroma to the metropolitan cities through these pop-ups. "It is my conscious effort to start a conversation around the delicacies of Meghalaya, and I feel that by joining hands with Pullman, New Delhi Aerocity, I can bring them to the spotlight, making it a mainstream gourmet delight for its patrons," said Phanbuh, who was among the top 20 contestants of ..

Meghalaya govt arranges flights to bring back students from Manipur

The government of Meghalaya is arranging special flights to bring back stranded students in violence-hit Manipur, said an official statement on Saturday

Maintain harmony, dispel fear, insecurity: Manipur Guv appeals to people

Amid ongoing violence in Manipur, state gov Sushri Uikey appealed to people to maintain brotherhood and dispel feeling of fear and insecurity, said an official release from governor's office

Meghalaya CM holds meeting on evacuation of students from Manipur

Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday also said that he and his government are in constant touch with their students and will bring them back as soon they will get a chance

16 students from Kuki-Meitei communities over a brawl in Meghalaya

At least 16 people were arrested over a brawl between students from Kuki and Meitei communities in the Meghalaya capital, police said on Friday. They study in colleges and universities in Shillong. "A group fight took place in Nongrim Hills area of Shillong between students belonging to Kuki and Meitei communities from Manipur on Thursday night," East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtnger told PTI. Two people received minor injuries in the brawl, he said. Police quelled the fight and took 16 people in custody, the SP added, while warning people against vitiating peace in the state capital. Violence between Meiteis and tribals took place in various parts of Manipur after a rally protesting the Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) tag turned violent, leading to retaliation, thus aggravating the situation.

Meghalaya govt issues helpline for their students studying in Manipur

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma called an urgent meeting on Thursday to ensure the safety of students from Meghalaya following reports of violence in Manipur.In the meeting attended by senior government officials, the CM highlighted that the safety of all students must be ensured. He also directed the officials to come up with a plan for the evacuation of students if the situation arises.Sangma said that over 200 residents of Meghalaya are studying in Manipur and that the Government is putting in place a helpline for students or family members to reach out to in case of emergencies.The Army asked people to be careful about fake videos."Fake Videos on the security situation in Manipur including a video of an attack on Assam Rifles post being circulated by inimical elements for vested interests. #IndianArmy requests all to rely on content through official & verified sources only," the Spear Corps, indian Army said in a tweet.Earlier in the day, Manipur Chief Minister N ...

Coal mining to resume in Meghalaya after 9 years, says CM Conrad Sangma

Coal mining is set to resume in Meghalaya after nine years, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Wednesday. He said the Union Ministry of Coal has provided approval for mining lease to four license applicants that would lead to the commencement of scientific mining ensuring minimal environmental impact through sustainable and legally compliant extraction procedures. "In a significant step towards initiating scientific coal mining, the Ministry of Coal had last month provided approval for mining lease to four applicants out of the 17 prospecting license applicants," Sangma told PTI. He said the mining will follow scientific procedures ensuring minimal environmental impact through sustainable and legally compliant extraction procedures. According to the chief minister, as part of scientific mining, reclamation of coal mining areas and use of advanced technologies such as remote sensing, aerial surveys and 3D modelling would be prioritised and environmental impact would be mitigated

3.5 magnitude quake hits Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills, no damage reported

An earthquake of magnitude 3.5 Richter scale struck Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills on Monday, according to National Center for Seismology (NCS).The earthquake occured at around 7:47 am, informed NCS."Earthquake of Magnitude:3.5, Occurred on 24-04-2023, 07:47:14 IST, Lat: 25.47 & Long: 90.94, Depth: 5 Km, Location: West Khasi Hills, Meghalaya," NCS said in a tweet.Earlier on Sunday, an earthquake struck Meghalaya's South Garo Hills. The magnitude of it was recorded at 3.5 on the Richter scale according to NCS.According to the NCS, the earthquake occurred at 3:33 pm (local time).In a tweet, NCS said, "Earthquake of Magnitude:3.5, Occurred on 23-04-2023, 15:33:33 IST, Lat: 25.26 & Long: 90.94, Depth: 5 Km, Location: South Garo Hills, Meghalaya."On April 16, an earthquake of magnitude 3.6 on the Richter scale hit Manipur's Bishnupur district. As per the readings from the centre, the earthquake occurred northwest of Bishnupur at 7:22 am (local time)."Earthquake of Magnitude:3.6, .