Shillong, Jun 24: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has objected to the state government’s proposal to convert the facilitation centre at the entry-exit point in Umling, Ri Bhoi district for commercial purposes.
The facilitation centre which is under the control and supervision of the District Task Force as provided under the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act 2016 was inaugurated in 2020 to curtail illegal infiltration to the state. However, the government plans to transform the facilitation centre into a modern commercial food court featuring international food chains.
KSU General Secretary Reuben A. Najiar in a statement today said the original purpose of the Umling facility was to implement measures aimed at regulating influx and protecting local residents—an intention that the proposed commercial use undermines.
Najiar said allowing commercial entities to establish operations at the facilitation centre will dilute essential safeguards, which were created to protect local and indigenous populations.
He said the MRSSA was enacted after KSU’s large-scale ILP agitation in 2013-14, when the then Mukul Sangma-led government came up with a comprehensive mechanism to regulate illegal entry. “Though the MRSSA is not as strong a law as ILP to protect indigenous communities, it still has provisions for a facilitation centre similar to the entry-exit point under ILP,” he said.
Najiar said when an amendment was brought in 2019 without full implementation of the act, the government failed to explain to the court why the centre was set up. He stated that despite this the government did not make an appeal because it did not want to implement the MRSSA.
