The association president, Regina Mawrie, said the non-teaching employees would gather at Madan Iewrynghep, fire brigade, from 10.30am to 2pm tomorrow. The strike will continue till the government implemented the revised payscales and released the 40 per cent arrears.

Mawrie said the association has been demanding the implementation of new payscales for three years now.

“We demand that the government should start disbursing our revised salary from December while our 40 per cent arrears should be released before Christmas,” Mawrie said.

Cash-strapped Meghalaya has taken a loan of Rs 100 crore from banks to pay 40 per cent arrears to deficit schoolteachers, 30 per cent arrears to government employees and pensions. However, it is unclear whether the agitating non-teaching staff will get a share of the Rs 100-crore loan.

In view of the shortage of funds, the Mukul Sangma cabinet last week approved major tax reforms to generate additional revenue for the state.

The cabinet decided to introduce Meghalaya Electricity Act, Meghalaya Tax on Luxuries, Hotels and Lodgings Act and increase the levy from 4 per cent to 5 per cent on 42 items under VAT.

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/

Identification cards would be issued to BPL people simultaneously, the chief minister said.

Sangma said Meghalaya ranked 12th in the country in terms of implementation of the Centre’s 20-point programme – which is the best among the Northeastern states. “More effort is required to climb the ladder. The government cannot be complacent,” he said adding that the government was making effort to generate multifold opportunity for the poor.

The 20-point programme, launched in 1985, aims at eradicating poverty, reducing income disparity, socio-economic inequalities and also to provide basic amenities, including housing for the poor and other weaker sections.

Source: PTI

HNLC general secretary Cherishstarfield Thangkhiew had in a e-mailed statement yesterday favoured political dialogue, but rued that there was no initiative from the government. Terming the HNLC gesture as a “positive signal”, Sangma said, “We have always maintained that there is no issue that cannot be solved through a dialogue.”

“With enough positive indication coming from the group for talks, the government may also work on the modalities to further the process and identify a mediator,” Sangma said.

Sangma indicated that he will “share the input (content of the email)” with the Union Home Ministry and urge it to take necessary steps. “Our doors are always open and we are ready to initiate dialogue with the outfit to ensure lasting peace in the state,” Sangma told PTI over phone from New Delhi.

Asked if there would be any condition for the talks, the chief minister said, “It will have to be within the framework of the Constitution.” The HNLC is a product of a 1992 split. The outfit was proscribed on November 16, 2000 after a series of incidents of killing, extortion and kidnapping over the years.

In 2005, a church leader PBM Basaiawmoit tried to broker peace between the HNLC, born out of a 1992 split in the erstwhile Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council, and the government, but not much headway was made.

The group’s chairman Julius Dorphang had surrendered to the government on July 24, 2007, but its other leaders are still believed to be in Bangladesh.

Source: PTI

Zosiamliana of Government Aizawl North College and R.L.Thianga of Government Hrangbana College also joined the symposium by elaborately discussing the Mizo style of grave digging as well as marriage rituals like the bride’s prize.In the second session, Prof. Laltluangliana Khiangte released a new book I Thu Ni Se by R.C. Lalruatchhunga who is a teacher of Zemabawk HSS.

Talking about the new book, Prof. Khiangte made a comprehensive estimation of the released book. He praised the book where five short plays have been recorded systematically by the author. At this point in the function, K.Biakthianghlima and P.Lalremliana introduced two other cultural topics for discussion in the symposium.

The programme has been highly appreciated by culture specialists and teachers of Mizo language and literature. Representatives of women’s group (MHIP Hqrs.), elders’ group (MUP Hqrs.), students’ group (MZP) as well as one of the largest Mizo youth groups, Central YMA also participated in the discussion.

Source: NNN

During its hearing today, the Division Bench of the High Court comprising Justice TNK Singh and Justice Hrishikesh Roy passed the order and posted the case on August 5 for further deliberation.

Supreme Court lawyer Ranjan Mukherjee who is arguing the case in favour of the State Government said that the government has a water tight case and hoped that the Court will pass a verdict in favour of the government.

“The decision of the earlier Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court ordering dismantlement of the illegal structures would stand us in good stead,” advocate Mukherjee said.

On May 25 this year the Principal bench of the High Court asked the Government to demolish all illegal structures along the Wah Umkhrah river.

On July 6, upholding the order of the Court the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority tried to demolish these structures, but the residents under the banner “Greater Iew Polo Welfare Association got a stay order on the same day itself.

There are over 70 houses and shops in the area. The government claims that it has the requisite documents and the people residing in the area are encroachers. However, the residents have filed two writ petitions claiming ownership over the land.

Source: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=jul2410/oth06

The U.K.-based MKC Roko Cancer Trust in partnership with the Government of Meghalya is undertaking this project, said Dr.Puneet Gupta, Senior Medical Advisor, Apollo Cancer Institute.

Meghalaya is the first Indian State to launch a cancer screening campaign for the entire state, he added

Around one lakh people will be provided free awareness about cancer and free detection camps would be orgnised at remote villages to initiate a drive to fight breast, cervix and oral cancer. In all, seven districts of Meghalya will be covered by December 2010.

The screening campaign was launched on April 15, 2010 at the Civil Hospital, Shillong

Dr.Gupta said two state-of-the-art mobile cancer detection units worth Rs 2 crore have been provided by the MKC Roko Cancer Trust to Meghalaya Government. These units have been stationed at Shillong and Tura, and would travel to various places whenever free cancer awareness and detection camps are conducted.

The first unit would cover the Khasi region and the second unit would cover the Garo region.

A team of doctors and volunteers will travel with the unit providing free detection facilities and further investigation test to the people at their doorstep. . This facility would be provided free of cost.

The MKC Roko Cancer Trust has covered eight Indian states so far, including Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.

Source: ANI

“We had an interaction with the Brandford Football Club in London. Efforts will be made to explore and roping in their services for coaching facilities in football in order to create a pool of talented football professionals,” Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said while briefing reporters about his three-nation visit to Europe recently.

Sangma said lots of ideas have come forward and government would soon come up with the modalities of the tie-up even as the club has showed interest to the proposal.

“We hope to see more faces from the state in the Indian national team,” Sangma added.

Lajong is the only professional club from the North East to play in the I-League.

Source: Times of India

Sangma would be accompanied by Deputy chief minister Rowel Lyngdoh, parliamentary secretaries PW Khongjee and Lakmen Rymbui, Meghalaya Tourism Development Council chairman Ronnie V Lyngdoh and OSD to CM HM Shangpliang.

The purpose of his visit is to familiarize himself on health infrastructure there and solicit investment from established industrial houses in tourism, horticulture and infrastructure sectors, officials said today.

“I am hopeful that our trip will be fruitful and that we shall return with good news for the state,” Sangma had said before leaving for New Delhi yesterday.

“Our state is so rich in many aspects and we should not waste time in finding ways to utilize our resources for the best interest and benefit of the people,” he said.

Source: PTI

Two FIRs have been filed, one by Rector of Don Bosco Technical School, Fr L B Anthony and the other by Principal of St Anthonys College, Fr I Warpakma. The state police have registered a case under section 295 A IPC for hurting religious sentiments, stated UNI. “I assure you that the police would nab the culprits-Police are working on the leads,’’ Mr Lyngdoh said.

Most of the graffiti were stenciled with black paint on walls of the Raj Bhavan, state main and additional secretariat buildings and missionary-run educational institutions.

The graffiti raised questions on Uranium issue, which is a sensitive issue in the state and sacrilegious remarks on religion. Others were more cryptic ones depicting cockroaches, scorpions with human face apparently of local politicians.
A graffit on the Raj Bhavan walls said in the local Khasi dialect-’Hangne Dei Uranium (Uranium sold here) How much?’ However, what have left the police baffled are the ones stenciled on the life size statue of Don Bosco and educational institutes run by missionaries.

The graffiti on the Don Bosco statue had stenciled picture of crucified Jesus with a writing-Rs 9.26, 36,105.80 p on the top. Another graffiti had a picture of the Pope Benedict XVI on the walls of Don Bosco Technical School and St Anthonys College.

Archbishop of the Shillong Archdiocese, Rev Dominic Jala strongly condemning the sacrilegious act and expressed surprise on the motive behind the acts of vandalism. “We are pained at the blasphemous depiction of the Pope and have now left it up to the police to look into the matter,’’ Rev Jala said.

The Archbishop further informed that the Church would hold a peace prayer meeting on June 23. The police, meanwhile, are drawing flak from the public for plunging the city into total darkness every night switching off street lights during the period.

In fact, the police must insist on having street lights on and also installation of CCTVs in sensitive areas,’’ Billy Peter Domes, Editor of a vernacular weekly said. Superintendent of Police, A Mawthoh said that there is no breakthrough, but the police are investigating into it.

Source: AGENCIES

‘I have spoken to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and finalised the date for discussions on the boundary dispute,’ Sangma told reporters.

He said he has also spoken to Home Minister P. Chidambaram and updated him on the latest development on the boundary dispute.

The Meghalaya chief minister rang up Gogoi after Assam officials had forcefully occupied a health sub-centre at Psiar village, which is under the jurisdiction of Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills district.

‘I also took up the issue (Assam encroachment in Jaintia Hills district) with Gogoi and the Assam officials have vacated the centre this afternoon,’ Sangma said.

Sangma said he has suggested to Gogoi to facilitate a meeting between the district administrations of Jaintia Hills and Karbi Anglong to instill confidence among the people living in the border area and to help rid them of the mistrust that has cropped up.

Asked what would be the reason behind Assam’s aggressive encroachment on Meghalaya land, the chief minister said his government’s priority is to solve the border issue with sincerity.

Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee of Social Organisations (JACSO) of Jaintia Hills Tuesday asked Sangma to immediately set up permanent police outposts at Psiar, Mukroh and Khanduli with maximum strength in the wake of the ongoing encroachment by Assam.

On May 14, four Khasi people were killed and several injured in firing triggered by Assam Police personnel at Langpih village.

Langpih, a village on Meghalaya-Assam border, has been a bone of contention between the two neighbouring states.

A committee headed by the chief secretaries of both states has been formed to amicably resolve the boundary issue.

Source: IANS