Nongpoh, July 26: Members of the Federation of Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo People (FKJGP), North Khasi Hills District, under the leadership of general secretary Ricky Majaw, assistant information secretary Banroy Wahlang, Umiam circle president Lambha Kurbah, and others, conducted a surprise inspection at the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) LPG Bottling Plant located at Pyllun in Ri-Bhoi District.
The visit followed the organization’s observation of a large number of non-local daily wage workers employed at the plant.
During the inspection, FKJGP members sought to verify whether these non-local workers possessed necessary documents such as labor licenses and other required papers.
Although the plant’s management initially agreed to present the documents, they failed to do so even after a long wait.
Many workers disappeared from the premises, and those actively working fled and went into hiding.
After waiting several hours without any response, the FKJGP team proceeded to the IOCL office to meet with the authorities; however, the officials could not produce the relevant documents.
Additionally, the village authorities of Pyllun revealed that IOCL had not renewed the No Objection Certificate (NOC) previously issued by the Dorbar Shnong (Village Council).
Speaking to the media, Majaw expressed strong concern over IOCL’s failure to ensure proper documentation, especially labor licenses, for the non-local workers.
He emphasized that the unchecked influx of migrant laborers from neighboring Assam prompted the organization to take serious steps to monitor the situation.
The FKJGP has given IOCL a one-week deadline to produce all necessary documents and has demanded that the plant temporarily halt operations until it complies, particularly by ensuring that all non-local workers possess valid labor licenses. Anthony Passah, the headman of Pyllun village, voiced his support for FKJGP’s action, stating that the organization took the right step after discovering that the workers could not produce valid documents.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) has urged its constituents to be vigilant and take proactive steps to prevent the settlement of these illegal immigrants in the state.
This advice came after an increasing number of cases of detection of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh entering the state in the last few months and the eviction drive being undertaken by Assam.
“There is every likelihood that illegal immigration of people from Bangladesh and from Assam, may surge in the next few days also as more and more people may attempt to seek refuge into our state,” CoMSO chairman Roy Kupar Synrem said.
The CoMSO has asked its members to be vigilant and take proactive steps by conducting eviction drives in mining areas, construction sites, urban slums, factories/industrial areas and economic hubs like market or commercial places and the border belts.
“(Eviction drives) should be conducted frequently in order to ensure that such illegal immigrants are promptly detected, identified and deported at the earliest,” the CoMSO chairman stated.
