Two-lane project: KSU, Youth Welfare Association slam village headmen, NGOs

FROM OUR REPORTER

SHILLONG, March 14: A delegation of two organizations—Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), South West Khasi Hills (SWKH) and Langrin Youth Welfare Association (LYWA) on Monday reiterated its stand that it would continue to oppose construction of the Nongstoin-Mawthabah two-lane road project.

“We will continue to oppose the 68 m two-lane road project sanctioned through the Special Accelerated Route Development Programme for North East (SARDP-NE).  This road is clearly not for the benefit of the people of the region instead this road is aimed to construct for uranium mining,” Forwardman Nongrem, general secretary of KSU, SWKH told newsmen here on Monday.

The NGOs have also submitted a memorandum to the CEM of KHADC P N Syiem demanding that the Council should not issue NOC for the construction of the two-lane road project.

He said the two NGOs will continue to oppose the two-lane road since the Ministry of Road and Transport and Highway on July 5, 2010, in a notification of had announced that this road had been agreed by the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure on the basis that this road will ease the transportation of uranium from the area.

He said the objective of the proposal is to facilitate the mining of uranium in Meghalaya and after agreeing to this they have allotted the work to a Hydrabad based company BSC CC & JV.

Alleging that the company has already started bringing its machinery last year and have also started construction work of its office and staff quarters at Demr in SWKH district, he said, “The KHADC should take action against this company as per law for bringing its machinery without taking permission from the District Council.”

“We want to urge the MDCs of KHADC and the Executive Committee not to issue NOC for the construction of the two lane road project,” he said.

60 village heads of the region recently demanded the KHADC to issue NOC on the two-lane road.

 “These village leaders are misusing their powers since they have not consulted with the people prior to demanding the issuing of NOC from the KHADC for immediate construction of the two-lane road.”

The two NGOs have also condemned the village headmen and other NGOs of the region who had demanded the issuing of NOC from the KHADC for the construction of the project.

He alleged that the delegation of headmen and NGOs from SWKH district demanding the issuing of NOC from the District Council was being lead by one person Riangdo, who  works in Public Works Department (PWD) and he has a uranium mine at Mawthabah.