Songsak MLA Dr Mukul Sangma of the opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) today questioned whether the Deputy Commissioner of North Garo Hills was transferred after initiating an inquiry into illegal coal transportation.
Speaking in the Assembly today during the general discussion on the budget, Dr Sangma also said that another inquiry into the illegal import of dry betel nuts from Bangladesh has to be turned over to central government agencies as the matter is not only confined to Meghalaya.
He took aim at the state government, saying that it is “efficient and smooth” in protecting the guilty parties by transferring the DC.
“I want to know whether after the order of the DC the inquiry is still on or has somebody undone it?” Dr Sangma asked, adding that if the government does not come clean on the matter, all the areca nuts will be brought and dumped at the Secretariat’s gates.
The former CM also raised other matters in the house today, such as the alleged assault of a pressure group member by a police officer in Pynursla after the former had made a seizure of buffaloes that the group claimed were being taken to Bangladesh illegally.
Dr Sangma also urged the government to complete crucial infrastructure projects, like the proposed medical college, engineering colleges, etc and the new state university. On the education scenario, too many Meghalayan students are having to pay high fees in private institutes or even travel outside the state to get an education, he added, while also taking up the plight of teachers, especially those appointed on contracts instead of being given permanent jobs in state schools.
Meanwhile, he also brought up the matter of the Ampati sports stadium, which was initiated during his tenure as CM when he was the local MLA (the seat is now held by his daughter, Miani Shira). The stadium work had been launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the delay in its construction is a “dishonour” to the PM. The central government has funded the purchase of 22 acres for the project and the MLA wanted to know what is causing the delay.
