The United Democratic Party (UDP) has stuck by the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, of which it is a part, and hit out at leader of the opposition Dr Mukul Sangma of the Congress, who has criticised the government over alleged illegal coal mining and transport.
“He (Dr Sangma) will know better about the fresh coal since he himself is involved in the coal business,” UDP leader Bindo Lanong said today.
UDP President and Speaker of the Assembly, Metbah Lyngdoh, meanwhile said that those who claim that there are illegalities in the coal arena need to bring documentary proof before the government.
“One cannot just take pictures of coal trucks on the road and say these are plying illegally,” Lyngdoh said, toeing the government’s line on the matter that trucks found to be transporting coal are doing so with the proper documentation.
Meanwhile, the UDP also held its central executive committee meeting today wherein party leaders discussed the border dispute with Assam, inclusion of the Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, increasing the age ceiling in government job recruitment from 32 to 37 and the proposed railway line in Ri-Bhoi and East Khasi Hills.
According to Lyngdoh, the issue of raising the upper age limit was “very critical” given the fact that there is huge unemployment in the state.
