The Jaiñtia National Council (JNC) submitted two memoranda to Sutnga Saipung MLA Santa Mary Shylla regarding development in the constituency.
The memos were presented to the legislator by the JNC’s Sumer and Nongkhlieh circles.
The Sumer circle requested a road from Samasi to Pala, while that of Nongkhlieh raised concern over the supposed “lopsided” development of the Nongkhlieh elaka.
In the first memo, the JNC said that residents are facing severe difficulties due to the poor road conditions in the Sumer area, which often lead to accidents. The roads that exist are damaged due to the lack of appropriate drainage, the pressure group added. Locals have complained about these issues before but no action has been taken.
Meanwhile, the Nongkhlieh circle said that Meghalaya has taken a huge leap forward in terms of development in the last decade and the people of the area hoped that, with the creation of East Jaintia Hills as a separate district in 2012, they would begin to see the benefits of the at development too.
The district is one of the most resource-rich in the state and accounts for a substantial contribution to the state’s GDP. “However, it is sad to state that EJH has been sidelined and not given its just share of development by the government,” the JNC said.
It presented a list of demands to begin to rectify this, including a road from Moolasngi to Daistong, a primary health centre in Nongkhlieh and a veterinary dispensary to serve the residents, the majority of whom are farmers.