SHILLONG, AUG 26: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday said all works related to Shree Cement will remain stopped until a fact-finding committee examines the complaints surrounding its public hearing.
Sangma was speaking after a meeting with the Khasi Students’ Union leadership on its five-point charter, held in the backdrop of protests and the August 19 violence.
Deputy Chief Ministers and senior officials were present.
Shree Cement hearing to be probed:
“The KSU demanded that the public hearing of Shree Cement should be cancelled. We told them government has to bring private investment for economic growth. Shree Cement is second largest producer in the country and a very reputed organization and procedures as per law were conducted,” Sangma said.
He said KSU alleged that some people were stopped from attending, environmental issues were ignored and stakeholders were not consulted.
“We will put up a fact-finding committee headed by a senior official independent of the district administration. Until it completes work, things will be on status-quo and no further work will proceed,” he said.
MRSSA registration via mobile app:
On MRSSA 2016, Sangma said registration of outsiders staying on rent has gone up with more localities adopting it, but expansion is slow due to infrastructure demands.
“We have 6500 plus almost 7000 localities cum villages. Providing computers, data entry operators everywhere is a massive exercise,” he said.
He said the government is building a mobile-based face recognition app to simplify the process.
“It will be very easy for headmen if it can be accessed on any mobile for scanning face, documents and uploading to a central database. It will help increase pace of registration,” he said.
Facilitation centres:
On facilitation centres, Sangma admitted to miscommunication over the Umling centre being called a food court.
“There will be a food court but the first part is going to be a facilitation centre. Earlier it was 300 sq ft, now it will be 1000 sq ft with further expansion of 2000 sq ft,” he said, adding a joint inspection will be done with KSU members.
He said construction should finish in 2-3 months and the Umling centre should be operational before Christmas. Land for Ratacherra and Athiabari is yet to be purchased.
Migrant Workers Act and recruitment:
On the Meghalaya Identification, Registration, Safety and Security of Migrant Workers Act 2020, Sangma said the earlier rules lacked clarity on which officer can check and on police verification.
“We have clarified that there will be two options for verification – SP of native district or through CCTNS network. After a month’s training, roll out will happen,” he said.
On NEIGRIHMS, he said it is an independent institution but the government will facilitate a meeting of KSU with the Union Health Minister and offer logistic support for exams.
On state recruitment reforms, he said, “For Group-D interview is already abolished and for Group-C non-technical posts, interview will be abolished from January 2027. SOPs for DSCs have been cleared.
“Of 23 reforms suggested for MPSC, 19 are implemented, he said, adding the demand to reserve MPSC posts for residents only will be examined by Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong next week to find a legally tenable ground.
The CM said KSU had given 20 points in total and five were discussed on Wednesday, with talks to continue on the remaining.
