Shillong, November 10: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) Central Executive Council president, Raymond Kharjana, has strongly criticised the State Government over its failure to establish the Facilitation Centre at Umling in Ri-Bhoi district as part of the implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016.
His remarks came after the Government’s assurance regarding the establishment of the centre during an earlier inspection of the proposed site at Umling failed to materialise.
“We were expecting it to be a Christmas gift, but as things stand today, the work has not materialised,” Kharjana told reporters.
He said the union would deliberate on taking further steps to convey to the Government that the project could no longer be delayed, stressing that the MRSSA must be implemented effectively throughout the State.
Asked about the progress of the project, Kharjana said that not even the preliminary work had started and that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) had not yet been prepared. He also pointed out that the Government had not been able to clarify which departments would be accommodated within the proposed Facilitation Centre.
“This shows that they are not taking the matter seriously. Instead, it appears that they are giving importance to other infrastructure projects which have nothing to do with the MRSSA. If the situation continues like this, the union cannot remain silent indefinitely,” he remarked.
Kharjana said there was no point in granting the Government further time, as the KSU had already given it a 15-day ultimatum. However, following the arrest of some of the union’s leaders, the Government had invited the remaining leaders for discussions with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, during which the Chief Minister had assured them that the Facilitation Centre would be delivered as a Christmas gift.
“They have simply been playing games with us. If the Government fails to fulfil this demand, the union will have no option but to resort to stronger measures,” he warned.
The KSU’s earlier inspection visit followed an invitation from the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Ri-Bhoi district to discuss possibilities for establishing the Facilitation Centre. The meeting was attended by District Magistrate Eric Dkhar, Tourism District Officer B. Nongkynrih, District Transport Officer E. Kharmon and representatives of the Ri-Bhoi district police.
