Tug of war for residential school site

A Correspondent

Shillong, January 23: There is a tug of war between two villages for the site for construction of a Residential School in Mawthadraishan C & RD block.

 While the local legislator HB Nongsiej wants the Residential School to be constructed at Mawlangren village, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) and Dorbar Shnong of Lawbyrtun want the school to be constructed in their village.

Lawbyrtun village under Mawthadraishan block is one among the 20 blocks in the State selected by the government for the construction of residential schools. The State government had sanctioned Rs 2.44 crore each for construction of the residential schools in the 20 C&RD blocks.  It may be mentioned here that on September 9, 2014, Nongsiej, in a letter to Deputy Chief Minister in–charge Education, Prof RC Laloo, alleged that the site for the proposed school was changed from Mawlangren (Umjei) village to Lawbyrtun.

 “With regards to the identification of the site for Residential School under Mawthadraishan C & RD block, I understand that somebody compelled the department to change the site from Mawlangren (Umjei) village to Lawbyrtun,” Nongsiej alleged. In the letter to Prof Laloo, Nongsiej said that Mawlangren (Umjei) village was the most suitable site since it is centrally located and road connectivity, electricity and drinking water supply already exists.

Meanwhile, the HYC alleged that the Mawthadraishan MLA was responsible for shifting the site for the proposed residential school from Lawbyrtun to Mawlangren. Nongsiej pointed out that since Lawbyrtun village does not have proper road, electricity or drinking water supply, he wanted the proposed Residential School to be shifted. “If he as a representative of the constituency can’t provide basic infrastructures like roads then why did he become our MLA?” president of the HYC Mawthadraishan circle, Markus R Myrthong asked.

 Further, the local MLA, in his letter to the Education department said that if any doubt persists, the government should go for a re–inspection for the site at Lawbyrtun, Wahliewlong, Nongshillong–Phamblang and Mawlangren (Umjei) villages.

 According to the Rangbah Shnong of Lawbyrtun village, Phailander L Nonglait, the village had doted 20 acres of land for the proposed school.

 “The Education department with officials of the PWD (Building) have already inspected the proposed site,” Nonglait informed reporters today.

According to Nonglait, the claim by the local MLA that there were no proper roads in Lawbyrtun was not true. The Rangbah Shnong said that the road in Lawbyrtun village connects to Sohiong in East Khasi district as well as Kynshi in South West Khasi Hills. Nonglait also informed that Lawbyrtun village with a population of around 1500 people and 329 households have two Upper Primary schools.