SHILLONG, JULY 18: The meeting between the state government and the 13 pressure groups to discuss on the comprehensive mechanism to regulate influx will be held tomorrow.
The meeting will be convened by the chief minister Mukul Sangma at the main Secretariat building at 3pm.
Sources informed that the groups are likely to go beyond the topic of discussion by reiterating their demand to put on hold the proposed construction of the railway project in Ri Bhoi District in absence of strong anti-influx mechanisms.
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) yesterday at a function to commemorate the 182nd death anniversary of U Tirot Sing Syiem had threatened to intensify their agitations against railway in case wrong decision is being taken in tomorrow’s meeting.
Earlier while welcoming the invitation for talks on the issue, the 13 pressure groups had put forward certain pre-conditions by asking the Congress-led state government to come prepare with the rules for implementation of the two Acts passed by the Assembly last year.
The two Acts – Benami Transaction Prohibition Act (Amended) 2016 and the Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016 – was passed by the Assembly last year based on the outcome of the mutual discussions held with pro-ILP groups.
“Both these Acts are without rules of implementation. Hence we would like that on the discussion to be held on July 19, the government must come prepared with Rules of these two Acts so that the discussion would be meaningful and progressive,” they said in an advance letter to the chief minister.
On the much-awaited entry and exit points, they said that much of the paper works relating to the entry and exit points have progressed but so far we are yet to see the infrastructural progress of the same.
“We would like to see the government to spell out the details of plans with regards to the execution of the project in those areas where there are no hindrances,” they added.
The 13 pressure groups have been demanding implementation of the comprehensive mechanism for the past four years after the government expressed its inability to implement the Inner Line Permit in 2013.
However, the groups stated that there has been enough discussion on the comprehensive mechanism to regulate influx but still its implementation is yet to see the light of day.
It may be mentioned here, the groups are also opposing the move to construct the proposed railway project in the Khasi Hills region in absence of effective mechanisms to curb influx into the state.
In view of this stiff opposition, the construction works of the railway line in Ronghona village under Byrnihat police outpost in Ri Bhoi District has been stopped completely following the violent protest by the KSU on May 27.
The proposed 20.5 km Tetelia-Byrnihat railway li
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