A delegation of the Jaintia Students Union (JSU) on Monday sought the intervention of the Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang into the various issues that include strengthening of border police outposts, anti-narcotic measures among others.
In its memorandum, the JSU has said that all border police outposts in Meghalaya particularly in Jaintia Hills where numerous conflicts have occurred in the past, should be strengthened while alleging that there have been incidents of harassment and killings of local people by residents from Assam living along the Jaintia Hills border.
It also reminded that the government had in November 2022 proposed to establish Border Police Outposts in seven sensitive locations. These outposts were to be set up at Mukroh village and Tihwieh in West Jaintia Hills, Mooriap in East Jaintia Hills, Rani-Jirang in Ri-Bhoi district, and Umwali, Lejadubi, and Langpih in West Khasi Hills.
It also suggested the need to improve infrastructure at these outposts, especially at Mukroh and Khanduli Village adding that the current conditions are inadequate, with some outposts covered only with tin sheets, putting the lives of the police security guards at risk and even the site where the outpost is located is not a permanent land .
On the need to strengthen the anti-narcotic measures in the state, the JSU said, “We are grateful to the Meghalaya Police for their commendable efforts in preventing drugs from entering our state. However, there are still some leaks through various channels. We request the police department to strengthen the Anti-Narcotic Task Force in the East Jaintia Hills, as it is a major entry point for drugs in the state. Additionally, we suggest that the police force collaborates with social workers, organizations, and village councils to curb drug use and sales in society. More awareness programs against drugs should be organized in market areas, villages, towns, and institutions.”
Further, the JSU also requested conducting police recruitment in Jaintia Hills.
Conducting Police Recruitment Exams in Jaintia Hills:
“We request that both the physical and written exams be conducted in Jaintia Hills itself. This would be convenient for the aspirant youths, who often find it difficult and expensive to travel all the way to Shillong. Many of these youths come from rural and underprivileged backgrounds, and the costs associated with traveling to the capital are prohibitive. Therefore, we suggest setting up proper infrastructure to conduct such exams in the Jaintia Hills region for their convenience, especially considering the increasing congestion in Shillong.”
Also asserting the need to establish a 24-hour confidential women helpline service to support women and child survivors and victims of all forms of violence, including domestic, the JSU also requested the DGP to eliminate illegal toll gates and extortion practices affecting local farmers and transporters.
“Numerous illegal toll gates have been erected across various routes, and groups of individuals have been extorting money from trucks and carriers transporting local products and goods both edible and non-edible items, including agricultural and non-agricultural products such as broomsticks, boulder stones, dry betel nut, and betel leaves.”
It said that these unlawful activities have detrimental effects such as increasing the cost of transporting goods and thereby this burden falls directly on local farmers, also leading to inflated prices of goods in the state, affecting consumers and reducing the competitiveness of our local products in broader markets and undermining the economic stability of rural areas.
“We urge your esteemed office to take immediate action to: identify and dismantle illegal toll gates, conduct thorough investigations to bring those responsible for these unlawful activities to justice and implement measures to ensure safe and fair transportation of local goods without unauthorized financial burdens,” the JSU stated.
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