bright spot in
2 ‘India
global economy,will
9
clock 7.2% growth’
10‘Navy has right to
‘Snooping’
on Rahul
rocks Parliament
shoot anyone
who intrudes’
SHILLONG ! TUESDAY ! MARCH 17, 2015
VOL. XXVI NO. 72 ! RNI REGD. NO. 40948/90
We are good and
11 that’s
why we are
here: Bangla coach
Online edition: http://mg.glpublications.in
Total Pages: 12
Rs. 5.00
" Cadres ‘ordered’ to shoot at supply trucks to Ampati
GNLA ‘relaxes’ bandh,
warns of blast
GUARDIAN NEWS BUREAU
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with IMF Managing Director
Christine Lagarde at a meeting in New Delhi on Monday. PTI
NGT pulls
up govt for
violation
of order
GUARDIAN NEWS BUREAU
SHILLONG, MAR 16: The
National Green Tribunal
(NGT) today took notice of
ground reports about
blatant violation of its
orders
and
issued
summons to all officials
concerned in the next
hearing.
“The report filed by local
commissioners found that
all directions of the tribunal
are being violated, even as
the NGT has summoned
all authorities concerned
of Meghalaya government
in its next hearing slated
on March 20,” the NGT
said in its order issued on
Monday.
“We have perused the
report filed by the three
learned
local
commissioners
in
furtherance to our order
dated 29 th January, 2015.
It shows that upon physical
inspection,
the
commissioners
have
found that all directions of
the Tribunal are being
violated,” the NGT said.
The order also said,
“They (commissioners)
have
annexed
photographs, record of the
weigh bridges to the report
and have also referred to
the statements of parties
who were found to be
involved in illegal mining
and transportation.”
However, the counsel
appearing for State
submits that he has not
received copy of the report
as it was filed in the sealed
cover before the Tribunal.
On this, the NGT has
directed
that
the
inspection of the report be
permitted by the Registry
forthwith and even copy be
provided to the Learned
counsel appearing for the
parties.
Meanwhile, the NGT
directed issuance of
summon notices to all
authorities concerned
including to mine owners
for illegal mining.
“We direct issuance of
Notice to the Secretary
(Contd. on P-10)
TODAY’S EDITORIAL
Science in the
world of sport
TURA, MAR 16: Close on the
heels of its offer to hold “conditional” peace talks with government,
the Garo National Liberation Army
(GNLA) today threatened to shoot
at supply trucks heading towards
Ampati and trigger blasts in the
town even as it called off the “indefinite” Ampati bandh for tomorrow allegedly on the request of
students.
However, the outfit stated that
the bandh would continue from
Wednesday and warned of action
against any attempt to defy it.
The GNLA had relaxed the
bandh last Sunday for allowing
people to attend their church
prayers.
In a release sent by GNLA joint
publicity, Garo Mandei Ch Marak,
the outfit stated, “Considering the
plea written to us by a large number of students studying outside
the state, facing difficulties finan-
GNLA, what was understood is
that the parents may not have
been able to send money to their
DGP’s mantra: Don’t confine to roads
GUARDIAN NEWS BUREAU
TURA, MAR 16: State Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Mehta
today asked police not to confine to roads and visit on foot interior
areas in insurgency-hit Garo Hills.
“Policing shall not confine to roads. Village to village visit on foot
and interaction with the villagers is crucial for bridging the gap between the people and the police,” Mehta said after addressing a highlevel meeting at Ampati, the district headquarters of South West Garo
Hills district.
The DGP apparently visited Ampati in view of the indefinite bandh
called by the GNLA in town. (Contd. on P-10)
cially, we have considered their
appeal to relax the indefinite
bandh for tomorrow March 17.”
As there is no means to seek an
explanation on the statement from
wards studying outside due to the
indefinite bandh.
According to the outfit, the students had come down heavily on
Shalom Meghalaya (SM) for “in-
stigating” people to defy the
bandh.
“However, the bandh will continue again from Wednesday onwards apart from Sundays till the
government meets with our demand of suspending the responsible officers in the Oragitok fake
encounter,” stated Marak.
Meanwhile, the outfit said it had
taken note of people responsible
in instigating the opposition of the
bandh and action would be taken
against them. The outfit stated that
it would intensify the bandh due
to the challenge.
“We have instructed our area
commanders to shoot at sight any
vehicles supplying rations to Ampati, specially coming in from Mankachar Assam. We emphatically
caution leaders conspiring for
(Contd. on P-10)
‘Scheme for single mothers
may cause more divorces’
GUARDIAN NEWS BUREAU
SHILLONG, MAR 16: UDP legislator
Jemino Mawthoh today questioned
the inclusion of ‘single mothers’ as
beneficiaries under Chief
Minister Scheme for
Social
Assistance
(CMSSA) wondering if it would only
lead to more divorces.
“I have encountered that single
mothers as old as 17-18 years come
to me for financial assistance. Now
is it a way of encouraging people to
go for divorce by including single
mothers in the scheme,” Mawthoh
told the Assembly here.
‘HNLC must
give up antinational stand’
GUARDIAN NEWS BUREAU
Deborah Marak categorically stated,
“It is not an encouragement.”
According to her, the Chief Minister
understanding the problem faced by
single mothers decided to
include
them
as
beneficiaries of this
scheme.
Marak informed that 16,782 widows
and single mothers are beneficiaries
of the scheme.
(Contd. on P-10)
CM’s Social Assistance
He also asked reason for including
single mothers in the scheme which
had earlier covered infirm, widows
and specially abled people.
In her reply, Social Welfare Minister
‘Central panel to help regulate coal mining’
GUARDIAN NEWS BUREAU
SHILLONG, MAR 16: The
expert
committee
constituted by the Ministry
of Coal will be assisting
the state in preparing the
guidelines for facilitating in
bringing coal mining into
the fold of regulatory
regime, Chief Minister
Mukul Sangma told
Assembly on Monday.
Replying in the Assembly
here, Chief Minister Mukul
Sangma said, “As an
offshoot of this exercise of
the state government, the
ministry of coal has
constituted an expert
committee led by Central
Mine Planning and Design
Institute to prepare broad
guidelines for the mining
of coal in the state of
Meghalaya
and
Directorate general of
Mine Safety to prepare
guidelines
regarding
health and occupation,
safety and other related
issues.”
Stating that the state
does not have any
competent
technical
personnel, Sangma said,
“The assistance of the
experts constituted by the
Ministry of coal will be
essential to prepare
(Contd. on P-10)
" Donkupar, James absent in debates on issues raised by them
‘Vocal’ Opp leaders skip debates
GUARDIAN NEWS BUREAU
SHILLONG, MAR 16: The Opposition, which very often complains
about short assembly sessions,
was today found responsible for the
House skipping a number of important issues.
Discussion on the issues raised by
Opposition members had to be
skipped in the Assembly due to the
absence of the members concerned.
Interestingly, it is the Opposition
bench which time and again complains about "less" time allotted for
private members during sessions.
The Opposition recently moved a
no-confidence motion against the
Speaker citing the less amount of
time allotted for budget session.
Ironically, one of the movers of the
NC, NPP legislator James K Sangma, who had been very vocal about
government holding short sessions,
was absent in the Assembly.
Most of the cut motions, around
10, moved by him (James) had to
be skipped during the voting on
Supplementary Demands.
Besides, a Zero-hour notice with
regard to the brutal killing of four
police personnel was also dropped
since the mover (James) was absent.
It was also noticed that even the
Leader of Opposition Donkupar
Roy’s questions during the Question Hour were skipped since he
was not present in the House.
Sought his comment on the absence of so-called vocal Opposition
leaders, chief minister Mukul Sangma said it is up to them how to utilize the privileges given to them.
(Contd. on P-10)
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma replying to a query in
the Assembly on Monday. Guardian Photo
Govt probing
GNLA’s political link
GUARDIAN NEWS BUREAU
SHILLONG, MAR 16: The state government is looking
at certain investigation into actions of the GNLA which
are perceived as ‘more political’ even as inputs suggests
the outfit’s leadership are operating from thick jungles
using social media network.
“Government is examining and looking at certain investigation to find out as to how their (GNLA) actions
are perceived as more political and all necessary measures are being resorted to by the concerned authorities,” Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told reporters here.
He was reacting to the (Contd. on P-10)
Opp raises concern over mounting education expenses
GUARDIAN NEWS BUREAU
UDP legislator Jemino Mawthoh raising query during the
Assembly session on Monday.
Guardian photo
SHILLONG, MAR 16: The Opposition United Democratic Party
(UDP) today expressed concern
over the failure of the government to address the issue of alleged commercialization of education by private educational institutions.
“The mounting cost of education has eaten into the major part
of the household budget where
half of parent’s income is going
in their children’s education,”
UDP legislator Jemino Mawthoh
said while raising the issue during the question hour in the Assembly here.
If there is too much of commercialization of education, the
whole objective of education will
be lost, he said.
Notwithstanding of the same
concern being echoed from time
to time, Mawthoh however lamented, “Unfortunately the state
government has not taken any
initiative to address this issue of
concern.”
In his reply, deputy chief minister in-charge Education RC
Laloo informed that the department is seized of the matter and
an enquiry committee has been
constituted to examine the issue.
Laloo said the committee constituted on April last year was
tasked to look into the complaints of collection of exorbitant
fees by the private educational
institutions in the state.
“The report of the committee is
being examined by the directorate,” he said.
The committee is being headed by W Challam, the District
School Education Officer,
Shillong, TM Pyngrope, Special
Officer DSEL and LM Iangngap,
Sub-Divisional School Education
Officer, Shillong.
Mawthoh also sought clarification whether the government is
contemplating in bringing legislation to check and regulate on
the issue.
To this, Laloo said the DSEL
have also written to all the SDSEOs for survey of school fees
collected by different private ed-
ucational institutions, the report
of which was also submitted to
the directorate.
He assured the House that the
state government would apply its
mind on the high rate of fees
charged by the different schools.
Stating the government is
aware of mushrooming of private
institutions, the deputy chief minister said the matter was discussed at different levels of the
department on how to go about
it.
He however said the government at the same is also aware
that only government schools
cannot cater to the educational
needs of the students in the
state.
(Contd. on P-10)
SHILLONG, MAR 16: The
state government today
asked the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) to
withdraw their anti-national stand besides criminal
activities.
“They (HNLC) should
demonstrate that they are
not continuing with their
anti-national stand,” Chief
Minister Mukul Sangma
told reporters here.
Stating that on number of
occasions, indications are
being passed on by HNLC
that they are willing to
come to the negotiating
table, he said, “The government has made it clear
that in order to create conducive environment for
talks and facilitate them to
engage in fruitful dialogues and assimilate
themselves with mainstream that conducive environment needs to be created as in regard to stopping criminal activities besides, withdrawing from
(Contd. on P-10)
Aadhar not
mandatory,
rules SC
NEW DELHI, MAR 16:
The Supreme Court on
Monday asked the Centre
and all the states to “adhere to” its earlier order
that no person should be
denied any benefits or
“suffer” for not having
Aadhaar cards, issued by
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
“In the meantime, it has
been brought to the notice
that the Aadhaar identification (card) is being insisted upon by various
authorities. We are not
going into the specific instances...
“We expect that the
Union of India (UOI) and
states and all their functionaries shall adhere to
the order dated September 23, 2013,” a threejudge bench headed by
Justice Chelameswar
said.
The bench had earlier
said, “no person should
suffer for not getting the
Aadhaar card in spite of
the fact that some authority had issued a circular
making it mandatory...”.
(Contd. on P-10)