Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is likely to meet leaders of the KSU this week to discuss ways and means to end the stalemate arising out of the ongoing raids conducted by KSU at construction sites to check documents of migrant labourers.
Informing this today, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar informed that Sangma is going to meet leaders of the KSU and other pressure groups to clarify on the government’s stand on the work permit system and to address the concerns of the pressure groups on influx.
“I understand that the chief minister is going to meet the leaders of various pressure groups later this week. The government may have some lapses but we need to work together to resolve all issues,” Dhar told media persons.
Dhar also said that majority of the labourers working at construction sites are local people and few works which the locals lack expertise are being done by people from outside the State.
Stating that the ongoing labourer eviction drive launched by pressure groups has affected construction projects of the government and private individuals, Dhar said the matter has to be resolved so that the projects are not stalled.
Meanwhile, the KSU today said that over 2500 migrant workers, who allegedly failed to produce valid documents, were detected at various construction sites across Khasi-Jaintia region for the last 12 days and have been asked to leave.
“Over 2500 migrant workers are found to be working without valid documents and we have asked them to leave,” KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar said while speaking at the wreath laying ceremony at the statue of U Tirot Sing Syiem here to observe the 189th death anniversary of the legendary Khasi freedom fighter.
Marngar also said that the KSU would further intensify the checking of documents of migrant labourers as a mark of protest against the failure of the State government to implement the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016 and also to mount pressure on the Centre to immediately implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the State.
The KSU president said that the drive is part of an effort to help the government to effectively implement the existing laws. He also said that recently six Bangladeshi nationals were detected in Shillong “raising a question as to how they managed to sneak into our State”.
“If we are not authorised to conduct checks then why is the government which has the power to do so not doing anything on the matter? We also want to know how many cases have been filed by the government against such migrant workers without valid documents, and what action is being taken against contractors for violating the rules,” he asked.
He also flayed the chief minister for claiming that work permit is not there although the State government had in 2011 came up with amendment of the Meghalaya Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) Rules, 2011 for creation of 39 labour inspector posts to address the issue of influx.
“We have also seen The Meghalaya Identification, Registration (Safety and Security) of Migrant Workers Act, 2020 passed by the State government. But instead of strengthening the existing laws, the government is attempting to do away with them,” Marngar said.
