Shillong, Feb 24: Cleaning of Wah Umkhrah, safety and security, addressing the scarcity of water, traffic congestion, good roads are among the top priorities in the ‘Book of Appeal’ released by the NPP candidate from North Shillong constituency, Ransom Sutnga, on Thursday evening amidst hundred of his supporters at Mawkhar.
The former Executive Engineer of the PWD proposed that it would be necessary to promote the use of buses, taxis, and two-wheelers in addition to building parking lots and link roads in order to relieve the city’s traffic congestion.
To curb the unemployed issue, Sutnga stressed the need to fill up vacancies in the different government departments, free education to students coming from poor family background besides extending financial assistance to the youth to encourage maximum participation in sports and academics.
Emphasising on proper education, he said there is a dire need to have a state university. Sutnga further said that there is a need to review the school syllabus to make it career centric.
Sutnga, who was also an Assistant Rangbah Shnong, said, “It is important for the state government as well as the district council to give recognition to the ‘Dorbar Shnongs’ by extending a special package to them.”
Recently, some miscreants attacked Sutnga’s house at Mawkhar. Regarding this, he stressed on the need to install CCTVs in all localities for safety and security. “Miscreants from a rival party attacked my house in the middle of the night but because I installed CCTV cameras, the police could nab them in just two hours. That is why I will put special attention on the issue for safety and security of the people,” he said.
On the general issues concerning the State, he said there is a need to find solution to resolving the long pending boundary issue with Assam by way of consultations and involvement of all stakeholders.
He also recalled that the state Assembly had unanimously passed an official resolution urging the Centre to immediately implement the ILP. “However, the Centre is yet to take a call on the matter. Recently, BJP national general secretary Rituraj Sinha had claimed that ILP will affect the tourism industry in the state but interestingly in Sikkim, ILP is being looked at as a mechanism to generate employment opportunities to the local people through tourism,” he added.
Speaking on the Land Transfer Act, he said that the Act has been able to ensure protection of tribal lands. “However, there is need to amend the ST list as per the Constitution (Scheduled Tribe) Order 1950 which include other tribes of the North East states. Therefore, such people from other tribes can buy land in Meghalaya since they are given ST status as per the Order 1950,” he said.
