Politics / Meghalaya

SHILLONG, January 20: Meghalaya government today clarified that they would "not ask for" even an inch of Assam's land while resolving the three-decade-old boundary dispute with its neighbour. A senior leader of the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), Holiram Terang, had yesterday threatened that not an inch of Karbi land would be transferred to Meghalaya as chief ministers of both the states had not taken the views of the people residing in the disputed areas. Reacting to Terang's threat, vice-chairman of Meghalaya land revenue committee Sayeedullah Nongrum said, "I can assure Terang...

GUWAHATI, January 19: Chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta's initiative to end Assam's three-decade-old boundary dispute with Meghalaya has run into rough weather, with senior Autonomous State Demand Committee leader Holiram Terang vowing not to yield "even an inch of land" to the neighbouring state. The legislator from Baithalangsu constituency in Karbi Anglong today said Mahanta was playing into the hands of Meghalaya by offering to resolve the issue on a "give-and-take basis". Claiming that his views represented those of the tribal people living in the disputed area, Terang said neither...

SHILLONG, January 18: The infiltration staff of Meghalaya police have intercepted 173 foreign nationals trying to illegally enter the State through various check gates during the last two weeks. The people were all pushed back, the sources said. The foreign nationals were trying to enter the State from the check gates of Byrnihat, Ratacherra, Gasuapara, Umkiang, Khliehriat, Jamaidwar, Purakhasia and Mohendraganj, the sources added.

SHILLONG, January 18: Union Joint Home Secretary, in-charge of Northeast Gopal Krishna Pillai on Wednesday said the Centre had sent feelers to the banned HNLC and ANVC and was awaiting positive response from them, reports UNI. Talking to reporters here on Wednesday evening after holding talks with senior bureaucrats and police officials, Pillai said the Government of India "will always welcome the ultras for talks since dialogue only brings peace". He, however, warned that antisocial activities would not be tolerated. Terming the HNLC as "half militant and half criminals", Pillai admitted that...

SHILLONG, January 16: Meghalaya government on Monday announced ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh to the next of kin of those killed and Rs 20,000 to those injured in insurgency-related violence, report agencies. Finance Minister AH Scott told a press conference after a Cabinet meeting that it was decided that the ex-gratia payment would be made with retrospective effect from January 5, when five persons were killed and eight others injured by Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) militants at Dhankheti in the heart of the city. Asked if the government was making progress in calling militants for...

SHILLONG, January 13: As the 80-year-old Meghalaya Legislative Assembly perished in a devastating fire on January 9 last, with it losing many valuable documents spanning over more than a century. While around 8.30 pm on that fateful night firemen, Army, Air Force and paramilitary forces were trying hard to douse the inferno, Assembly cashier T Sangma risking his life entered his office room where an amount of Rs 5.16 lakh was kept. According to Sangma, he heard about the fire incident at 8.15 pm and rushed to the incident site. As he was concerned about the money and some important papers of...

SHILLONG, January 12: Three days after the virtual 'heritage' Meghalaya Assembly building was totally devoured by an inferno, it is becoming clearer that it was not merely an accident but 'criminal' negligence on the part of the Assembly staff that wiped out the most aesthetic landmark in the state capital here. A small fire in the Room No. 13 of the private secretary to the Assembly Speaker ED Marak was doused by the staff around 4.30 pm on the fateful night of January 9. Thereafter they left for home apparently without ensuring that the fire had been totally extinguished. The shocking...

GUWAHATI, January 11: The destruction caused to the Assembly building in Shillong on Tuesday by a devastating fire evoked nostalgic feelings among the politicians and the officials here, who were associated with the two-storied 89-year old grandeur of architecture. The politicians and bureaucrats whom we could come to contact today recounted their association with this historic building under the roof of which many dramas of political upheavals concerning the NE region of the country, were enacted and which remained an witness to many moments of happiness and sorrow that touched the lives of...

SHILLONG, January 10: Meghalaya Government today instituted a judicial probe by a retired High Court judge to enquire into the devastating fire which reduced the historic 80 year-old Meghalaya Assembly building last night. Speaking to newsmen in his office chamber this evening, Chief Minister EK Mawlong said that no foul-play is suspected in the incident. "I feel sad at the incident as I had been associated with the Assembly for a long time", he said. Mawlong was Speaker of the House for two terms before taking over as Chief Minister in March last year. He informed that the State Central...

SHILLONG, January 9: The historic Meghalaya State Assembly building was totally gutted this evening in a devastating fire. The fire, which started from a suspected short-circuit around 8.15 pm, engulfed the pre-Independence Assam-type building quickly. The building earlier housed the Assam Assembly till the hill State was born in 1972. Valuable records, including Assembly proceedings since the creation of Meghalaya, is presumed lost in the fire. Assembly Speaker ED Marak described the incident as unfortunate. Speaking to The Assam Tribune around 10.30 pm he ruled out any sabotage but hastened...