CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: The KSU North Khasi Hills District and Ri-Bhoi district administration conducted a joint inspection of the Umling Facilitation Centre on Wednesday, with the union raising concerns over the limited space allotted for monitoring operations. KSU North Khasi Hills District president Ferdinald Kharkamni said government units responsible for checking vehicles and visitors had been given limited space, while larger areas had been earmarked for a food court and commercial stalls.
He said the centre, inaugurated in 2020 to regulate entry into Meghalaya and curb drug trafficking under the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), should remain a proper monitoring point rather than becoming a food hub. The KSU, he added, was not opposed to commercial activities but would not accept any compromise on security.
Kharkamni expressed disappointment over the arrangement, saying the centre was envisioned as a vital security mechanism to regulate the entry and exit of people into Meghalaya, check illicit influx and intercept illegal drug trafficking. He said economic development and employment opportunities should not come at the expense of critical security operations. The KSU maintained that the Umling facility was among its key demands for ILP-like checking and urged the government to prioritise its monitoring and security functions.
Kharkamni also cited the KSU's earlier intervention over a three-acre plot allotted to Indian Oil Corporation Limited in 1995.
He said the union petitioned then Home Minister Rosan Warjri in 2013 for the reopening of the ICAR oil depot during severe fuel blockades and later approached the Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner in 2015 to prevent the land from being reduced to a mere petrol station.
He said the intervention eventually led to the establishment of an LPG bottling plant, although HP and Indian Oil still lack proper, full-fledged depots in Meghalaya. Drawing a parallel with Umling, Kharkamni warned that the KSU would strictly oppose any attempt to compromise MRSSA operations for commercial dining and other outlets.
Also Read: Meghalaya Government Assures KSU of Facilitation Centres at Umling, Ratachera