Shillong, Mar 5: Advisor to the Social Welfare Department Paul Lyngdoh today said his recent meeting with Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar was productive, with assurances that pending liabilities related to NGOs and self-help groups (SHGs) under the department would be cleared.
Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said he had already established a personal rapport with the Union Minister during a meeting in August last year in New Delhi in the presence of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma. He said several pressing matters were taken up again during the Union minister’s recent visit to Shillong.
“A major achievement of the meeting this time was clarity on funding for various NGOs and SHGs operating under the Department of Social Welfare. These were pending liabilities, and as per his assurance, the matter will now be addressed,” Lyngdoh stated.
Responding to queries on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on drugs reopened in the High Court amid concerns that the drug situation in Shillong has worsened, Lyngdoh said he had held an interaction with the SP of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) earlier in the evening.
He informed that, in coordination with the dorbar shnong of Nongsohphoh Upper Mawprem, the government will formally launch a Village Defence Party (VDP) in the locality on March 13. The area has been identified as a major hotspot.
Lyngdoh noted that the upcoming launch would mark the second VDP to be formally set up within Shillong under the renewed push against drug abuse. “The city has just 12 VDPs at present, which is very inadequate considering the multiple challenges posed by drug abuse. We are encouraging more dorbar shnongs to come forward and partner with the department so that we have more foot soldiers against the menace, working in tandem with the State Police,” he said.
When asked whether more aggressive measures were required beyond the formation of VDPs, Lyngdoh asserted that the government is adopting a multi-pronged strategy.
“Many operational details cannot be shared in the public domain due to the nuances involved in drug trafficking. But I can assure you that we have stepped into new territories that were not covered earlier. The kind of raids being conducted and their frequency reflect the seriousness of the government in tackling the drug menace,” he said.
On reports alleging that a minister or MLA from Manipur was using Meghalaya as a transit route for drugs, Lyngdoh said he had come across such reports but refrained from commenting on specifics.
“For details regarding the modus operandi, I will discuss the matter with the Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of Home, who is currently not in town,” he added.
