Shillong, March 18: The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) has alleged several irregularities in factories located in Umiam following an inspection conducted by members of the organisation on Tuesday.
The inspection was led by HITO President Donbok Dkhar, who claimed that the team discovered a number of violations, including the installation of illegal machinery, poor sanitation in factory premises, and the alleged exploitation of workers, particularly women, through excessive overtime work.
Speaking to the media, Dkhar strongly criticised the state government, accusing it of turning a blind eye to alleged illegal activities being carried out by factory managements. “We are not satisfied with the functioning of the government. It appears there may be some hidden benefits involved. Outsiders are being encouraged to the extent that they no longer respect local sentiments,” he said.
Dkhar further alleged that several companies were employing workers from outside communities while offering very limited employment opportunities to local residents. “Some companies are hiring workers from other communities while employing only one or two people from the local population,” he said.
He warned that the organisation would give the government some time to take action, failing which HITO would return to carry out further inspections of factories allegedly operating without proper documentation. “If the government does not take action, we will return like a storm to dismantle these illegal operations,” Dkhar warned.
The HITO leader also urged local youths to apply for jobs in factories across Jaintia Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts and report cases where they are denied employment. “When outsiders start taking away our sources of livelihood, people will not remain silent. I urge the youths to apply for jobs in these factories, and if they are denied, they should inform us so that we can collectively demand our rights,” he said.
Dkhar also called on the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) to take action against factories found violating regulations. He said evidence of the alleged violations had been recorded by media personnel during the inspection and urged authorities to initiate legal action as per the law.
Meanwhile, shortly after the HITO team began the inspection, a magistrate along with police personnel from Ri-Bhoi district arrived at the site.
