Railway project put on hold

SHILLONG, JULY 19: The Congress-led state government has decided to put on hold the proposed construction of the railway project in Ri Bhoi till the comprehensive mechanism to check illegal immigration and influx are in place.

It has also announced that the rules for the implementation of the Residents Safety and Security Act passed by the Assembly last year will be notified and announce on the Independence Day celebration to be held on August 15.

The decision was taken at a meeting convened by the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma with the delegation of the 13 pressure groups to discuss on the comprehensive mechanism held here on Wednesday.

Leaders of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), which is on the forefront leading the protest against the railway project, and others, also attended the meeting.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Sangma said, “We will be indicating to the railway (authorities) that we will hold on the works (construction of railway) and resume as soon as these comprehensive mechanisms are put in place.”

In view of stiff oppositions, the construction works of the railway line in Ronghona village under Byrnihat police outpost in Ri Bhoi District has been stopped completely following the violent protest by the KSU on May 27.

Stating that the comprehensive mechanism will be made operational very soon, he said, wherever there are railway stations including Mendipathar, the land for construction of the facilitation centres shall be provided within their premises.

“Therefore we have suggested that even if we are not yet able to complete all the entry/exit points, once all the operational part in implementing the mandate of the law (Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016) and one there are some signs of initiation of the work for entry/exit points then we will take it our stand will be that comprehensive mechanism are put in place,” he said.

Stating that the government will ensure that these measures are completed on time, he said, “We will put this in much more faster track notwithstanding the hurdles and challenges.”

Meanwhile, the chief minister also announced that the rules for implementation of the Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016 will be notified on the Independence Day celebration.

“The rules presumed to be completed by the officers concerned at my level I had asked them to further improved it and then come back and this particular rule, we want to notify and announce on the Independence Day,” he said.

Before notifying the rules, Sangma said one more round of discussion will be held to ensure if the rules are not good enough for everyone to comprehend, it will be further simplify and take it to the cabinet for notifying the rules which will happen before August 15.

According to him, the rules as per mandated by the law will be implemented not only by the authorities under different line departments but also by the involvement of stakeholders like the local authorities (dorbar shnongs).

“Therefore the rule required to be made available to everybody must be more exhaustive and something which everybody will know the operational part and procedure and how to effectively implemented,” he said.

Under the Act, Sangma said that there are special provisions to ensure whoever is in our respective neighbourhood, localities; the local authorities including the police will have the knowledge.

“It will go a long way in securing the state and insulating the state from issue linked with illegal immigration and influx,” he said.

Stating that Meghalaya is sharing long international border with Bangladesh and inter-state border with Assam, he said, “Having understood this complexity we have put the right kind of stringent measures and incorporated in this law.”