Even if the Inner Line Permit (ILP) is granted by the Centre to Meghalaya, it will not help in controlling the influx of migrants if the state government is not serious about its implementation, opposition Chief Whip Saleng Sangma said today.
“We have the infiltration branch, district councils, Labour Department and laws like the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) to check influx but because of lack of discipline on their (government’s) part, many illegal immigrants are entering the state freely,” Sangma said.
Lamenting that the existing infiltration gate at Byrnihat in Ri-Bhoi does not even operate at night, he said that ILP will be ineffective if the concerned departments are not disciplined while discharging their duties.
Recalling that the Meghalaya Assembly had already passed a resolution asking Centre to implement ILP in the state, he said that the MRSSA is one of the tools to tackle influx but implementation of these acts in letter and spirit needs seriousness on the part of the state.
“MRSSA is not being strictly implemented; this is one of the few acts that can protect us and monitor the entry of immigrants into the state,” Sangma said.
