SHILLONG, JULY 25: The thirteen pro- ILP ngos demanding implementation of the comprehensive mechanism to control influx on Friday said they will get ‘serious’ if the recommendations that the three committees constituted by the government on influx is rejected by the state government.
“If the recommendations that are to be made by these committees are rejected again by the state government this time, then we will also get serious again (like ILP agitations last year),” Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) general secretary Sadon K Blah told reporters.
According to him, the ngos will not like to see these committees suffer the same fate like that of the earlier committee constituted in 2012 and headed by then deputy chief minister Bindo M Lanong.
The Lanong’s committee in its report had recommended the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) which was however turned down by the state government leading to four months long agitations by the ngos last year.
Blah statement came after the thirteen ngos attended a meeting convened by chief minister Mukul Sangma to clarify on the role and objective of the committees constituted by the government to address the problem of unabated influx and illegal immigrants into the state.
Unlike in the Lanong’s Committee, this time the pressure groups decided to act as ‘observers’ of the three committees.
“The three committees will exclusively belong to the state government and we maintained that we will be observers of these committees,” Blah said.
Earlier, the state government has decided to constitute the three committees after the ngos demanded immediate implementation of the ‘comprehensive mechanism’ as proposed by them three months ago.
The committee headed by the Director of State’s Anti-Infiltration Directorate has been directed to identify ideal locations for the setting up of ‘entry’ and ‘exit’ points to address issue of illegal immigration and influx while the committee headed by deputy chief minister Rowel Lyngdoh has been assigned with the responsibility to examine the two bills relating to benami trade and verification of tenants.
The third committee will be headed by chief secretary PBO Warjri.
The committees have been directed to complete the task within two months.
Briefing more about the outcome of the meeting, Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) president Daniel Khyriem said, “We were made to understand that the three committees will look into the various aspects of the suggestions given by us in our proposed comprehensive mechanism to the government.”
Stating that government is going on the ‘right-track’, Khyriem said, “We have decided that we will give the government’s committees the time they deserve.”
Khyriem also inform that during the course of their meeting, the ngos has also proposed to the government the need to take into consideration the views and suggestions of the traditional institutions while coming up with a comprehensive mechanism.
Meanwhile chief minister Mukul Sangma said the meeting with the ngos was a productive and fruitful one while informing that the committee tasked with the responsibility to identify the location for setting up of entry and exit points is almost completing the process.
Assuring that government is taking the issue on a fast track mode, the chief minister said, “The government would also sit again to discuss on the issue to ensure that the process of setting up of infrastructures required in the entry and exit points is speeded up.”
According to the chief minister, the setting up entry and exit points will be comprehensive and free from inconveniences to people. – By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours