Development / Meghalaya

Shillong, June 8: Meghalaya is trying to promote its tourism sector in a big way and plans are afoot to invite big names in the Indian tourism industry to run some of its major projects. The director of Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), H. Shangpliang, said big names like Oberoi, Welcomgroup, Taj and even Le Meridian could soon be a part of the Crowborough hotel and multiplex project. He said the response from these groups had been “very good” and the state government was keen on privatising some of its key tourism promotion units.

Shangpliang said some other MTDC-run projects...

SHILLONG, June 5 – Amidst protests from certain social bodies against uranium mining in Meghalaya, the Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar today allayed apprehensions about ill-effects of radiation. Speaking at a national symposium on environment to mark the World Environment Day here, Kakodkar said radiation is part of nature occurring since the ‘big bang’ resulting in the evolution of matter, element and life, and it existed in nature irrespective of ‘where you are’ in the solar system. Even energy from the sun, which was the source of human life on earth, was also a process...

SHILLONG, June 5 – President APJ Abdul Kalam has deputed the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) of India, Dr Anil Kakodkar to Meghalaya to dispel apprehensions regarding possible radiation hazards arising out of the proposed uranium mining project at Domiasiat in the West Khasi Hills district of the State. Dr Kalam had assured a group of MLAs from Meghalaya, who called on him last month at New Delhi of soon deputing a team of experts to explain the ground realities of uranium mining, in the wake of stiff opposition to the proposed mining by certain NGOs on the ground that this...

Shillong, June 3: The news of a ropeway project, connecting far-flung corners of the Meghalaya, has created a lot of excitement among the denizens. Though the plan is nothing new, the announcement by the public works department minister Mukul Sangma last evening, about the decision to start the project, has given rise to fresh hopes among the people.

Sangma said the detailed project report would be submitted this month.

The PWD minister said this morning that the ropeway project would connect villages and areas in and around Mawmih (under Ri Bhoi district) situated atop the beautiful Barapani...

Shillong, June 1: The budget earmarked for the small-scale industry and tourism sectors is expected to be hiked with the 12th Finance Commission showing interest in augmenting the budgetary allocation of these sectors in Meghalaya. A team of the 12th Finance Commission is currently in Shillong on a two-day visit to assess the state’s financial growth and needs during the next Five-Year Plan period.

The team, headed by C. Rangarajan, met ministers and state government representatives and members of industry and commerce organisations.

While the commission members did not disclose the...

TURA, May 31 – The mini industrial township of Mendipather in East Garo Hills, that borders Goalpara district of Assam, has, since some years ago, been a booming trading centre with timber and coal being its main export. It still is though to a lesser extend thanks to the Supreme Court ban on felling of trees. However, the situation seems to be returning to its earlier days if one takes into account the rise in number of illegal saw mills in and around Mendipather.

As per the claims of an organisation, the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Mendipather Circle, there are...

SHILLONG, May 24 – After stopping coal export to the neighbouring country of Bangladesh from Meghalaya for 22 days, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday allowed ‘safe passage’ to coal-laden trucks to ply on the road along the international border at Borsora in the West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. The BSF had ostensibly suspended traffic movement along the border road on security concerns, thereby bringing about a complete halt to the export of coal to Bangladesh from the state. Coal exporters, however, described the move as an example of the alleged “highhandedness” resorted to...

NEW DELHI, May 21 – Faced with increasing demand by social groups to stop uranium mining in Meghalaya, the State government has started official-level talks with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre seeking “clarifications” on fears that people living near the mines were exposed to radiation.

“Our officials have met BARC people seeking clarifications,” Chief Minister DD Lapang told PTI here. However, he did not divulge the outcome of the meetings, saying this would be done only after State ministers met the BARC officials.

Several social groups have demanded stopping of uranium mining in Domiasiat...

SHILLONG, May 12 – A group of Meghalaya MLAs today said that President A P J Abdul Kalam had assured them that he will endeavour to send experts in the field of uranium mining to allay apprehensions about the exploration of the radio-active mineral in the state, reports PTI.

This was conveyed by the President himself when a group of 15 MLAs from Meghalaya, led by Speaker Martin M Danggo, called on him at Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi yesterday. “There is no danger in Uranium mining,” Kalam, himself a scientist, reportedly told the legislators who briefed newsmen here today.

The President's...

SHILLONG, May 7– The Meghalaya Mine Owners and Exporters Association has lodged a formal complaint with the Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani and the Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), Ajai Raj Sharma against the force which has ‘forcefully’ stopped plying of coal-laden trucks on a public road along the international border with Bangladesh since April 28 last. The letter of complaint to the Deputy Prime Minister states that though the DIG of BSF’s Shillong Sector was officially informed on the matter, there has been no ‘positive response’, resulting in huge financial loss to...