Shillong, Nov 14: South West Garo Hills administration is trying to fix gaps in healthcare, education and farm livelihoods, while police are monitoring cross-border movement, drugs and crimes against women and children.
Deputy Commissioner Anendya Raajsshre and Superintendent of Police Vikash Varma gave the assessment during interactions with journalists from Shillong as part of a DIPR press tour.
Raajsshre said the district is peaceful but several development indicators need attention. Regular departmental review meetings have been started.
On health, she said maternal and child healthcare is a priority under the Early Childhood Development Mission, with focus on reducing home deliveries and maternal deaths. She said some women avoid institutional deliveries because they have no one to look after children and livestock, while others opt for home delivery during late-night emergencies.
Awareness drives are being held on round-the-clock services at PHCs, CHCs and civil hospitals. Reluctance persists in pockets under Mellon, Zikzak and Salmanpara PHCs. Poor network connectivity in forested areas is another problem.
On education, she said surveys are being done to identify dropouts and enrol them in special classes for literacy certification. Open schooling is being explored for those who cannot return to regular classes.
On PM POSHAN, she said mid-day meals and eggs at least once a week are being monitored. No case of packed food or raw grain distribution was reported, but irregularities in serving meals were found in a few schools and action was taken against teachers and principals.
She said the Education Department has been asked to examine the district’s poor performance in Class X and XII exams and submit a report by year-end.
On agriculture, she said farmers grow fruits and vegetables but struggle to aggregate produce and reach markets. The administration is pushing Farmer Producer Organisations and Integrated Village Cooperative Societies to improve bargaining power and market linkage.
A millet processing plant and a honey processing plant were recently inaugurated. Women’s livelihoods are being pushed through Self-Help Groups, poultry and piggery under the Lakhpati Didi initiative. Sanitation under Swachh Bharat Mission, and awareness on teenage pregnancies and POCSO offences are also being taken up.
SP Vikash Varma said law and order is peaceful but police remain vigilant. The district shares an international border with Bangladesh and an interstate border with Assam. Both borders are peaceful, but police are watching infiltration and cross-border movement.
He said cases of Bangladeshi nationals trying to return to Bangladesh through Meghalaya are a concern. In a recent operation in Zikzak, police arrested seven persons, including six Bangladeshi nationals who had been living in Delhi, Bengaluru and Surat.
On drugs, he said the district is not a major transit route. Most cases are small-scale peddling. Police recently arrested two persons under the NDPS Act and recovered 2,000 Yaba tablets.
On crimes against women and children, he said POCSO cases, including teenage pregnancies and sexual assault of minors, continue to be reported. He said awareness is needed among students and schools. Police are holding awareness programmes in schools, colleges and markets on cybercrime, drugs, POCSO and NDPS.
He said there have been no militancy-related incidents or signs of revival of militant groups in the district.
