Construction of the new Assembly building, which is supposed to be completed by 2013, will be put out to tender after the ongoing budget session. The RCC design of the new Assembly building made earlier would remain the same.

"The Tara Ghar complex has been chosen as the site for the new Assembly building because it is more peaceful and away from the congested commercial area where the existing Assembly Secretariat is located," Assembly Speaker and HPC Chairman Charles Pyngrope told reporters after the HPC meeting on Thursday.

The Tara Ghar, the official residence of the Chief Minister, is presently occupied by former Chief Minister JD Rymbai.

Earlier, Mr Pyngrope said the permanent Assembly campus would also cover the area of the Deputy Commissioner's official residence and the nearby basketball court.

"Our main objective is to construct the Assembly building in a peaceful location. The HPC has already set a target that the new Assembly complex should be constructed before 2013," Mr Pyngrope said.

The Speaker will invite officers from the Land and Survey Records Department to survey proposed site for the Assembly building soon.

The idea of constructing the Assembly building at Upper Shillong was dropped recently. The Assembly has already decided to hand over the land earlier acquired for the project back to the Agriculture Department.

It may be recalled here that the 125-year-old structure that housed the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly was gutted in a devastating fire on January 9 2001. Since then the State Government had considered constructing the Assembly building in Mawdiangdiang, Upper Shillong and Khyndai Lad in the city.

NEW DELHI: Assuring that the Centre will amend controversial the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), now in force in Manipur, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has said the Centre would take up a massive developmental work in the Northeastern region to end the insurgency problem.

"The Union Home Ministry is already working on amendments to the AFSPA," Dr Singh told Union Minister of State for Rural Development Ms Agatha Sangma, who called on him at his residence on Thursday.

Ms Sangma, who met Manipur's 'Iron woman' Sharmila during her recent visit to the state, appealed to the Prime Minister to repeal or amend the controversial act.

"The Government would do everything to save her life and bring normalcy in the disturbed state," Ms Sangma told The Shillong Times after the meeting. Dr Singh also assured Ms Sangma that the UPA Government would take up massive developmental work in the region to remove its economic backwardness.

"The Government is keen on solving all vexed issues plaguing the region," the Prime Minister told Ms Sangma.

SHILLONG: A joint delegation of several NGOs under the banner of Social Organisations of Meghalaya Against Land Alienation (SOMALA) has asked the State government to abolish Single Window Agency (SWA) to protect the tribal land.

The delegation made this demand during its meeting with Chief Minister DD Lapang here on Thursday.

The NGOs also asked the Chief Minister to amend Section 2 (e) of the Land Transfer Act 1971 so that Khasi, Jaintia and Garos were recognised as the only communities for the purpose of land transfer in the State.

They also sought withdrawal of the government's official announcement of 2001 in which other tribes like Hmar, Biate, Karbi, Rabha, Hajong, Bodo and Koch were included in the list of tribals of Meghalaya.

"The invoking of Single Window Agency to clear applications towards setting up of industries in the State without following the provisions of the Meghalaya Transfer of Land Regulation Act 1971 has resulted in the displacement of local tribal inhabitants," the NGOs told Mr Lapang. While seeking immediate deletion of Sections 4 (i) (e) and 4 (i) (f) of Meghalaya Transfer of Land Regulation Act 1971, the NGOs cited Supreme Court ruling in Samantha Case where it was clearly stated that "the government has no power to lease out land situated within the scheduled areas." Briefing newsmen about the outcome of the meeting, KSU president Samuel Jyrwa said the Chief Minister had agreed to constitute a Cabinet committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister (Law) and Revenue Minister as Co-Chairman with representation from members of the SOMALA to formulate the policy on the matter. SOMALA comprises of NGOs from all over the State including KSU, FKJGP, SSSS, GSU, HNYF, CSWO, WYWO, RBYF, MIPF, LYWA, HIWS, AIGU, ACWO and others.

SHILLONG: After nearly four years of indecision, the new government led by DD Lapang has finally given the go-ahead to corporatise Meghalaya State Electricity Board (MeSEB).

With this, MeSEB is set to be converted into three companies -- Meghalaya Power Generation Limited, Meghalaya Transmission Corporation Limited and Meghalaya Distribution Corporation Limited. Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MECL) will be the holding company, even though all the three separate companies will have autonomous power.

The decision to corporatise the 36-year-old electricity board was taken at the MUA Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

The state governments had earlier failed to meet several deadlines set by the Centre for corporatisation of MeSEB since 2005. The reported reason was that the state governments and the Board were still examining the report submitted by the Power Finance Commission (PFC) on the matter.

Earlier, the State Cabinet had also constituted an Empowered Committee headed by MeSEB Chairman WMS Pariat to prepare the modalities for corporatisation of the electricity board and to consult the various MeSEB employees' unions on the PFC recommendations, especially those related to service conditions.

After the Cabinet meeting, Power Minister Dr Mukul Sangma told reporters that the services and interests of the Board's employees would be protected in the corporatised body.

He said restructuring of the Board would help supply power to consumers in an efficient manner.

According to Dr Sangma, the corporatised entity will have an equity of Rs 501 crore. The State Government would provide support for the new entity during the transition period.

It may be noted here that 3428 villages of the State have been electrified through 11 grid sub-stations under MeSEB. The total energy consumption is 929.318 MW and the number of consumers is 2,48,817.

High-level committees: The MUA Cabinet meeting on Thursday also decided to constitute three committees - High-Level Committee, Cabinet Committee on Public Grievances and Cabinet Committee on Government and Semi-Government.

Chief Minister DD Lapang will be the Chairman of the High-Level Committee to deal with official issues. Deputy Chief Ministers Dr Mukul Sangma and Bindo M Lanong and ministers Prestone Tynsong, RC Laloo, AT Mondal and Paul Lyngdoh will be the members of the committee. Mr Lanong will be Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Public Grievances to deal with various issues taken up by the public and NGOs in the State. The members of the committee will include ministers JA Lyngdoh, MM Danggo, Paul Lyngdoh, Prestone Tynsong, AT Mondal, Ismail R Marak and Ampareen Lyngdoh.

The Cabinet Committee on Government and Semi-Government will be headed by Deputy Chief Minister Dr Sangma. The committee will deal with the problems of government employees and government-aided institutions. MM Danggo, Prestone Tynsong, Ampareen Lyngdoh, AT Mondal, Ismail R Marak and Limison D Sangma will be the members of the committee.

SHILLONG: Slain gangster Fullmoon Dhar's girlfriend Ibatiplang Kharkongor was granted bail by Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court on Thursday.

Ibatiplang's relatives, especially her mother, were driven from pillar to post in their attempt to get her released on bail.

Ibatiplang was arrested on June 1 from her residence at Umsawli near Mawdiangdiang in connection with the May-31 Shillong jailbreak.

She had confessed to having collected Rs 3 lakh from JHADC member Thomas Nongtdu on Fullmoon's behalf. Ibatiplang was remanded in 14 days' police custody before being sent in judicial custody by the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Shillong.

SHILLONG: While denying having misled members of the Assembly by giving wrong figures in the budget, Finance Minister Dr Mukul Sangma on Thursday said a fiscal deficit of Rs 614 crore had been projected in the budget 2009-10 considering the higher capital expenditure and the government's decision to implement the recommendations of the Fourth Pay Commission.

"The detailed figures in the budget need to be referred to the documents that have been made available to all members of the Assembly. We have not made any attempt to mislead the House on this issue," Dr Sangma said in response to Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and NCP legislator Conrad K Sangma's allegation that the Finance Minister was trying to mislead the House by giving conflicting figures in the budget.

Giving his replies to the questions raised by the Opposition on the budget estimates for 2009-10, Dr Sangma said the projection of increased revenue from social and community services was expected because of the introduction of water tax.

The Finance Minister reiterated that the revenue expenditure would come to Rs 3588.26 crore, adding the higher amount of Rs 1034.35 crore for capital expenditure was due to inclusion of public debt, loans and advances and capital outlay.

Stating that the MUA Government was committed to implementing the recommendations of the Fourth Pay Commission, Dr Sangma said the proposed pay hike for State Government employees had also contributed to the projected increase in fiscal deficit. "We are sincere about implementing the pay revision as soon as possible. We will approach the Central Government on how to cope with the fiscal deficit arising out of this," he said.

He said the new budget had given more thrust to tourism and agriculture sectors.

According to the Finance Minister, the budgetary allocation for the tourism sector is Rs 13.45 crore as against Rs 3.75 crore in 2008-09. Similarly, the new budget has showed a quantum jump of 150 per cent of budgetary allocation for the agricultural sector with Rs 142.66 crore as compared to Rs 56.9 crore last year.

"The government understands the potentiality of these two sectors. The per capita income of people of the State will definitely increase if both the sectors are developed," Dr Sangma added.On horticulture, the minister said the Plan outlay for the sector had been increased to Rs 35 crore as compared to Rs 8 crore in last year's outlay. He also said the intention of enhancing budgetary outlay for horticulture was to motivate youth to become self-employed rather than look for white- collar jobs.

The Finance Minister stressed the need to tap the hydro-power potential of the State to deal with the current power crisis in the people. He also said the State Government would soon come up with a separate policy on non-conventional energy development.

On the health front, Dr Sangma said the State Government had decided to convert both Shillong Civil Hospital and Tura Civil Hospital into State hospitals equipped with specialists in all fields of medicine, including latest health equipment.

Making it clear that the healthcare system in rural areas would be given special attention, the Finance Minister said government doctors and paramedics would be asked to remain in their respective places of posting, especially in rural areas, where better accommodation facilities would be provided.

NEW DELHI: With 16 casualties, Meghalaya has reported the second highest custodial deaths in the north-eastern region, next only to Assam.

Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) in its report titled "Torture in India 2009" says the highest number of custodial deaths in the North-East has been recorded in Assam with 74 deaths in police custody.

Assam and Meghalaya are followed by Arunachal Pradesh (11 deaths) and Tripura (nine deaths).

Interestingly, Manipur, the most disturbed state in the region, has reported only one custodial death. But this was challenged by ACHR director Suhas Chakma who said custodial deaths at the hands of defence forces were not reported to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The ACHR report released recently said at the national level Maha-rashtra reported the highest custodial deaths with 192 followed by Uttar Pradesh (128), Gujarat (113), Andhra Pradesh (85), West Bengal (83), Tamil Nadu (76), Assam (74), Karnataka (55), Punjab (41), Madhya Pradesh (38), Bihar and Rajasthan (32 each), Haryana (31), Kerala (30), Jharkhand (29), Delhi (25), Orissa (24), Chhattisgarh (23), Uttarakhand and Meghalaya (16 each), Arunachal Pradesh (11), Jammu and Kashmir and Tripura (9 each), Puducherry and Chandigarh (3 each) and Himachal Pradesh (2) while Manipur, Goa, Sikkim, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli recorded one case each.

In the last eight years an estimated 1,184 people were killed in police custody in India. "Most of the deaths occurred as a result of torture within the first 48 hours in police custody. These deaths, however, do not represent the actual number of deaths in police custody," Mr Chakma said.

A number of such cases taken up by ACHR with NHRC show that police had not reported these custodial deaths to NHRC. While NHRC has expressed concern over police's failure to report all cases of custodial deaths the Commission's guidelines on reporting custodial deaths within 24 hours continue to be flouted, the NHRC chief said. Deaths in the custody of the armed forces and the Indian Army are not reported to NHRC as it does not have jurisdiction to investigate violations committed by the armed forces under Section 19 of the Human Rights Protection Act 1993. ACHR itself has lodged 50 complaints about extra-judicial killings in Manipur alone during 2003-09. Many of these extra-judicial killings allegedly took place in the custody of Manipur police commandos."Since Manipur police commandos claim that they conduct operations with Central armed forces, the deaths in the custody of the police commandos are not reported to NHRC," Mr Chakma said.

Shillong: International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed world wide today, the 26th of June. Acting as a curtain raiser to the main event scheduled on Friday, a mass rally participated by hundreds of students from different schools, was held in the city on Thursday.

It is worth mentioning that he United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has adopted the slogan "Do drugs control your life? Your life? Your community? No place for drugs" for the year.

Focusing on different aspects of drugs such as drug abuse, drug cultivation, drug production and illicit drug trafficking, the celebration concluded at Soso Tham Auditorium with a formal function.

Speaking at the function, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Social Welfare Bindo M Lanong assured that the Government is trying its best to control drug abuse in the State.

Stressing on the need to maintain a healthy environment in public places, especially in sporting areas, Mr Lanong hinted that public galleries in various stadiums will be converted to no smoking zones, as cigarette is one form of soft drugs.

He also urged the people to cooperate with the Government and the authorities to check the evils in society. "People should come forward and play the role of informers to eradicate the ills of society," he added.

The observation will conclude on Friday with various programmes being organised by the Government in collaboration with NGOs focussed on substance abuse.

In addition to programmes in the city, other district headquarters including Jowai and Nongpoh have also chalked out separate programmes for the day.

Our Correspondent in Jowai adds: A function was organised by the Narcotic Anonymous Support Group, Jowai (NASGJ) at Tpep-pale community hall here on Thursday. Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner, Sanjay Goyal attended the programme as chief guest.

The function was attended by members of the Voluntary Health Association of Meghalaya (VHAM), JSU besides Government officials.

a At the State Central Library, from 3 pm onwards: The highlights of the programme comprises of songs, effigy competition, a street play on drugs captioned 'La Trei U Khawiang' by radio jockey LH Pde and his team, a quiz contest.

a At the Main Secretariat at 4 pm: Launching of IEC materials prepared on drug abuse and illicit trafficking. Government officials including Chief Minister DD Lapang will attend the function.

a At San-ker, Mawroh: A programme for the Rangbah Shnong and Rangbah Dong, members of the Seng Longkmie, Seng Kynthei, Seng Samla and other community based organisations, at 2 pm.

Shillong: Due to its easy availability, cannabis (ganja) is the most preferred substance among drug addicts in Northeast India, and there are over 200 million cannabis abusers worldwide, says Dr Pushkar Singh, North East Coordinator, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) working in collaboration with the Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE)

Speaking to The Shillong Times in connection with the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to be observed on June 26, Dr Pushkhar Singh, said that cannabis is the preferred drug substance among drug users in Northeast India due to its easy availability.

Dr Singh said that a substantial amount of drugs come from neighbouring Myanmar, which are meant to be dispatched to different corners of the country.

While heroin is the drug of choice in the rest of the country and is also used as an injecting drug, Dr Pushkar Singh said as far as the Northeast is concerned, there are basically three substances which come under the banner of illicit drugs as observed by the UN on June 26. They include cannabis, heroin and methamphetamine.

Working in tandem with NGOs focused on substance abuse, UNODC looks at June 26 as a date for raising public awareness on the diminishing returns of substance abuse, through innovative programmes across the seven states of North East India. UNODC has in fact successfully networked with organisations running rehabilitation and drop-in centres across the region.

Highlighting the steps taken to control the menace, Dr Singh said that the Voluntary Health Association of Meghalaya (VHAM) has been running the Oral Substitution Therapy (OST) project with the support of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).

"Under OST, a drug addict is provided with Buprenorphine tablet which does not cause physical or psychological craving although it gives a high. OST may help in containing the menace, and at present, there are 375 drug addicts from Shillong and Jowai, who have registered under OST project while 170 are in the waiting list," Dr Singh said.

Apart from the OST project, Dr Singh said that Manbha Foundation and VHAM are running the Targeted Intervention Project in Jowai sponsored by State Aids Control Society (SACS) Meghalaya. Under this project, drug addicts come for needle syringe exchange programmes to prevent the continuing use or sharing of needles among drug addicts, Dr Singh said.

He informed that there are, at present, 295 drug addicts who have joined this project.

He further pointed out the Indian Council of Social Sciences Research, North Eastern Region, reported that there were around 1400-1500 injecting drug users in Meghalaya in 2004.

"Drug abuse leads to manifold social and health problems, with HIV/AIDS being the most dangerous upshot", Dr Pushkar Singh added.

It may be mentioned that by resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987, the United Nations, General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

This resolution recommended further action with regard to the report and conclusions of the 1987 International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The UNODC campaign focuses only on drugs under international control. These are drugs that UN Member States have decided to limit exclusively to medical and scientific purposes. These illicit drugs include amphetamine-type stimulants, coca/cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, opiates, and sedative hypnotics.

Shillong: The Ri-Bhoi Youth Federation, Byrnihat circle is contemplating to filing a PIL (public litigation interest) in the court of law against factories operating in the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) at Byrnihat for flouting pollution control norms.

The RBYF delegation, which met Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner Lawanda Diengdoh on Thursday, urged her to take up immediate steps to check haphazard and unscientific operation by the factories in the industrial estate.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, RBYF president S Sohtun said unscientific functioning of the factories in the industrial estate has polluted the environment around the area and its vicinity, thus, posing serious threat to peoples' health.

The organisation, however, did not set up any deadline for the Government to response to the demand.

The RBYF alleged that majority of the factories operating at the EPIP do not use smoke filter pipes, which resulted in release of fly ashes into the atmosphere and then settle in civilian areas nearby.

Further, the RBYF also aired its concern over haphazard discharge of industrial wastes to nearby places by the concerned companies.

"Smoke and industrial wastes are the silent killer of human being and destroyer of environment," Mr Sohtun remarked.

Such unscientific actions by the concerned companies, are only against the pollution control norms, he observed.

He also stated that several reminders had been sent to the Government in this regard, but all were in vain.

Meanwhile, the organisation also questioned the Meghalaya Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for issuing permission to companies to set up plants in the EPIP without verifying their credentials.

The organisation further accused the board of failing to conduct regular inspections at the industrial estate so as to ensure that the companies stick to the set guidelines.

The delegation also expressed concern over mushrooming of winestores at Byrnihat.

Michael Scott Nongrum, husband of Edwina Pyngrope of Laitumkhrah, breathed his last on June 25. His funeral will be held on Saturday at Laitumkhrah Catholic Church cemetery at 1.30 pm.

Noted environmentalist Vandana Shiva to deliver the Dr Homiwell Lyngdoh Memorial Oration, organised by the Martin Luther University at the Khasi National Durbar Hall at 6 pm. Vandana Shiva is the founder of the Research Foundation for Technology, Science and Ecology/Navdanya, and Chairperson, International Commission on the Future of Food and Agriculture. Shiva participated in the non-violent Chipko movement for forest preservation, during the 1970s. She will also be present at a seminar on the Indigenous Knowledge of Meghalaya at the KJPA conference centre at 10 am.

It may be recalled that the Centre had put the tribal strife in the North Cachar Hill district at the top of its agenda on combating militancy in the North East. The government holds the outlawed Black Widow outfit responsible for the violent occurrences in the region. There has been a surge of violence in the region recently but there is no evidence of the involvement of the militant body in it. Jewel Golosa, Chairman of Black Widow, was recently arrested in his hideout in Bangalore. Obviously, tribal violence in North Cachar goes deeper. In the recent flare-up, over 50 persons were killed in a series of attacks on villages of both Dimasa and Zome Naga communities. Nearly 4,000 people were rendered homeless as armed miscreants set entire villages on fire. These hapless victims have taken shelter in makeshift relief camps.

The authorities in the district have drawn up a strategy to relocate over 10,000 tribals from about 50 villages and house them in a number of safe clusters for a few months. During this period, security forces will conduct flushing out operations against militants in the region. The villages identified are remote areas, unreachable by road and so sensitive. Relations have recently deteriorated between Dimasa and Zome Naga tribes. So, separate clusters are being set up for them. In the first phase, the focus will be on clusters for Zome Nagas. But an equal number will be created for Dimasas soon. The tentative strategy also includes deployment of one platoon of Assam Police Battalion jawans for every cluster of relocated villagers. Arrangements are being made for drinking water, sanitation and primary health care for the relocated. Work will be made available for them under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). In view of the Centre's preoccupation with the economic development of the North East, it is hoped that a beginning will be made in containing terrorism in the North Cachar Hills.

One was appalled to listen to the ravings of two Congress MLAs in the State Assembly as they tried to work out a rescue plan for Chief Minister, DD Lapang. We can only thank our lucky stars that someone like Ronnie Lyngdoh is not our Home Minister. Imagine him occupying that hot seat and recommending gallantry awards to trigger-happy cops who gun down every suspect in this state until we have only good guys like Ronnie and his Congress confreres walking the streets in a world rid of criminals. One wonders how an elected representative of the people can trivialize the Fullmoon issue which actually exposes the rot in the police department. If this sycophantic outburst is aimed at getting a reward from Mr Lapang, then it is indeed a very infantile attempt. That a public representative should be airing his own myopic views in the august house even at the cost of compromising a larger public cause only shows how deep the Congress culture of sycophancy has struck roots even among its tribal followers. The question is whether the people of Mylliem constituency support this outrageous argument that all crime suspects be gunned down even before a fair trial? Or will this MLA have a shelf life of fours years only?

Another puerile outburst, pretty much like hot air, came from the MLA of Sohra, Phlour Khongjee, who like others of his ilk castigated the media for unearthing the stench on the Fullmoon case which the Congress would rather see interned. Media-bashing is a luxury that indolent legislators having nothing much to say, take recourse to. Obviously these two MLAs have not kept track of events in other parts of the country. The Jessica Lall and Nitish Katara murder cases and several others committed by sons of noteworthy Congress politicians would not have been taken seriously by the courts if it were not for a sustained media campaign. Right? Naturally those on the wrong side of the law would resent media intrusion into their acts of transgressions.

The recent jailbreak case and its subsequent fall-out should have got people across the political divide to take a hard look at the whole criminal justice system instead of taking sides for or against the issue. The NCP has proved a good opposition which is what it is at the moment. This is the role that it should continue to play, hopefully for the next four years. It is indeed sad that there are many more MLAs and political parties today who want to side with the Government. The UDP has maintained stoic silence on the current toxic state of affairs. Thankfully Ardent Basaiawmoit has not forgotten his antecedents as a civil society activist and stood up to speak. Considering that his seniors have sealed their lips and are observing the fun from the sidelines it is rather daring of Ardent to make an ardent appeal for cleansing up the policing system.

Mr Lapang on the contrary has been muttering gibberish. Talking of the CBI he says that there are seven unsolved cases lying with that agency for a long time. Is Lapang saying that the CBI is as unreliable an investigating agency as the state police? Well, maybe he is right. The CBI, after all, has been behaving like the scythe of the ruling party, cutting down to size those political rivals. Look at the case of Padamsinh Patil an NCP MP from Osmanabad, Maharashtra, accused of murdering Congress leader Pawanraj Nimbalkar and his driver three years ago. The timing of his arrest is interesting. It comes three years after the reported crime and right on the eve of the Maharashtra elections. Isn't this perfect timing to embarrass the NCP further and decimate it in the coming elections?

Fortunately the CBI has thus far not been used to settle political scores in Meghalaya, but ideas, especially devious, ones do not take time to germinate. But it is also true that we in Meghalaya have paid scanty attention to the performance of the CBI. Neither has the state government ever taken stock of the cases that are handed over to this prime investigating agency. Surely the State of Meghalaya needs to know why those cases with the CBI are hanging fire, some, forever? Is the problem that of the agency or is it the state government that delays handing over important, incriminating documents because it is afraid of being exposed? In that case, can the CBI be blamed? Incidentally, one does not recall anyone in Meghalaya ever having applied for an RTI from the CBI on the cases pending with it. Perhaps it is time that rights groups did that. Somebody, somewhere down the line ought to be held accountable. And since none of the cases pending with the CBI are of the nature of classified documents but rather pertain to corruption and crime in the State, the agency can jolly well give reasons for its dismal failure to solve them. Even the murder case of Rinehskhem Kharsohnoh has run its course without any light being shed on 'whodunit'. How many years does it take to solve one case? Will the local CBI please answer?

Indeed, the policing system in this country is so convoluted and so tilted in favour of the rich that one shudders to think how the poor are treated in police and judicial custody. A more difficult problem facing the state of Meghalaya today is the near anarchy in the police department. In a clumsy attempt to cover their backsides in the jailbreak imbroglio, senior officers are passing the buck to their juniors. This has created an unprecedented state of unrest among the forces who, until the other day, had implicit faith that their seniors would back them up all the way while carrying out orders in the call of duty. Today they are not so sure if they would not be incarcerated for implementing verbal orders given in a state of urgency. This might make them wary about carrying out unwritten orders in future. This does not bode well for the department.

It is demoralizing for the force to know that its top gun is occupying the hot seat, not by merit or seniority, but by political bulldozing. Now the cops in the lower rung wonder which political master's coat-tails they should hang on to. And having done so, would they not have sold their souls to that politician? What is happening in Meghalaya today is clearly not a very sustainable system for the long run. Increasingly there are very few people with too much money who buy their way through life. Some politicians and bureaucrats are reeking with ill-gotten wealth and swanky lifestyles. Following them are the camp followers seeking out their pound of flesh in the form of perks of office. It is immaterial which party comes to power. All the party hangers-on have to be accommodated. And at whose expense? The Finance Minister has just presented a deficit budget. But does anyone care?

Meghalaya is perhaps the only state where you hear of illegal check gates put up by individuals who pocket the money. Nowhere will you find illegal check gates operating under the very nose of the police and with the blessings of the chief minister! Yes even the weigh bridges have become money minting machines for ruling party politicians! Can we continue to have such avariciousness without serious consequences? Meghalaya should not be blind to what is happening around this country. The recent Maoist attacks in Lalgarh, West Bengal, informs us that any system in which power and wealth are concentrated in the hands of a few will produce disgruntled elements who will pick up the gun and train them on those who they believe have got rich at their expense.

Meghalaya has a population of roughly 27 lakhs. Right now 49% of that population lives below poverty line. Of the 51% supposedly living above the poverty line a miniscule minority (less than 0.1%) are filthy rich. Since we are a state where wealth creation is possible only from two sources - coal mines and the government, the majority of those who make money, do so by milking the government. But always at the cost of the poor by siphoning off development funds! People make money even from materials that are meant to provide shelter to the poorest. How criminal is this? Yet we accord the highest respect to such people in our society!

Truly we the people of Meghalaya must dismantle this unjust structure. Lee Iacocca, one of America's business leaders and author of the book, 'Where have all the leaders gone', said there is a crying need for leaders with the four characteristics - curiosity, communication, character and competence. The 21st century needs a leader who is curious enough to seek inputs from a wide range of people, including those who disagree with him. This sort of leader is interested in mastering a global viewpoint while trying to solve local problems.

Communication is intrinsic to leadership. We need a leader with an open mind who does not hide bad news or motivate us with fear. This type of leader speaks the truth even when it is hard to hear. He inspires by asking people to share in the obligations of democracy. As far as character is concerned, in these trying times we need a leader, honed by crisis who demands equality of sacrifice, starting with himself. And lastly, competence is the knack for problem solving by assembling the best team to make things work.

Are you that leader Mr Lapang? When will you begin to provide the leadership that people of this state expect from you? Do you ever think of the 49% impoverished citizens and how they struggle to make ends meet? Do you have the will to discipline your rapacious colleagues who want to buy up every available property in and around Shillong, or to put a halt to their adventurism? Or will you bow down to their every whim? Will you destroy the police force in this state by allowing corruption to corrode it completely? Will you shoot down every dissenting voice because of your desire to survive against all odds? Leadership is a sacred trust vested on you by the people of Meghalaya and not by the Congress party only. Please take note of this reality!

Please also remember that people will take the insults and blows dealt by your government only up to a point. When they cross the threshold of pain they will fight back like the Maoists have in different parts of this country. Do you want to be remembered as the chief minister who has given a new lease of life to armed struggle (militancy) in Meghalaya? Do spare a thought for the next generation of which your own grandchildren are a part!

The Centre and the West Bengal government are clueless on dealing with the Maoists. The Marxists are in direct confrontation with the Maoists in Lalgarh which is under the latter’s siege. The Government remains clueless while the Maoists fight them with the most modern weapons, automatic rifles, rocket launchers and explosives. Against this backdrop, the ban on Maoists by the Centre and the state is indeed a bold decision.

The Maoist menace has been on the increase not only in West Bengal but also in other parts of the country. They indulge in jail-breaks, destruction of railway lines, siege of police stations and other methods. For instance, in a daring attack in 2004, over 100 Maoists attacked Koraput district headquarters in Orissa and looted 200 sophisticated guns and other weapons. They also looted the district armoury, five police stations, Koraput jail and the SP’s office. In 2005 the Maoists attempted a daring jailbreak in Jehanabad in Bihar and freed some of its leaders and looted weapons. In 2007, they attacked the Dantewada jail and freed 303 prisoners including 100 naxalites. The Maoists have a pan-Indian presence and want to capture political power though armed struggle. Their guerrillas operate under a single unified command.

The question is: will a mere ban on the organisation help? There are 35 other organisations like the LTTE, Al Qaeda and Laskhar-e-Toeba which are operating in the country despite the ban. CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat may be right when he says that political and administrative steps are needed to check the Maoist insurgency in West Bengal and elsewhere. These banned organisations may go underground for a while, pretend to be martyrs and come back after regrouping.

Why did Lalgarh happen? It is a shameful episode which has signalled a backlash not just against the West Bengal government but also against a state that had chosen to ignore economic development and social justice. But should not Karat also answer as to who is responsible for the sorry situation. The left front government has ruled the state for three decades. Karat and his party should introspect on the reasons for the poor state of affairs. The Maoists have entrenched themselves in Lalgarh. The Buddhadeb government looked on without doing anything. The inaction of the Centre and the state has emboldened the Maoists to declare Lalgarh as a liberated zone. It was only the recent attacks on government facilities in the state which compelled the Central Government to step in. First, the Home Ministry banned the outfit first, the West Bengal government followed suit. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya defied the party line that a ban will not help, in heeding the Centre’s advice to ban the Maoists.

The naxalite movement could be traced back to a village called Naxalbari in West Bengal in 1967. Soon the movement spread far and wide. A nightmare is beginning to unfold now that armed Naxalites have a presence in 170 districts in 15 states. One third of the forest area is under their control and so are several states making a red corridor from Bihar to West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

In September 2004, two of India’s leading armed movements, the Maoist Communist Centre and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), popularly called the People’s War Group, merged to form the Communist Party of India (Maoist). The Maoists are running a parallel government, levying taxes, holding "kangaroo" courts and determining educational and moral behaviour.

The Maoists are partly political, partly insurgent and partly terrorists. For their purpose they recruit local boys to fight their battle and declare the areas under their control as liberated zones. This is what happened in Lalgarh. What started as a protest movement by the local tribals against police excesses gradually became a violent political movement led by the Maoists. The State government dithered to contain the Maoists in view of the Lok Sabha polls.

Lalgarh cannot be viewed in isolation. There have been many debates in Parliament and state legislatures and the UPA government had been talking about evolving a special strategy. However, the increasing incidents of violence show that more needs to be done. There should be a proper naxal policy instead of saying it is state subject. As the naxalites are operating more from the rural and forest areas with the help of the locals, the strategy should include better communication facilities in these areas. It should also ensure better police training, more modern equipment for the police, improve the socio-economic conditions in the rural areas, create more job opportunities for the rural youth to prevent them from joining the Maoists. And above all, the Government should create confidence among the people that it will protect their lives. (IPA Service)

Editor,

The law of the country has provided enough space for its citizen to express their views and opinions, no matter from what background. Democracy in India is so accommodating and so full of loopholes that even criminals can be bailed out of their offences. Anything is possible when one holds enough power - money power, muscle power or political power.

It has been well said by Lord Acton:- "Power corrupts and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely". On the other hand, this becomes possible as the distinctive activities in the government through which the will of the people are expressed are not strictly defined or separated and therefore leads to breach of law. "Each organ while performing its activities tends to interfere into other's sphere of functioning since a strict demarcation of task is not possible in their dealings with the general public. Thus, even when acting within the ambit of their own power, overlapping of functions tends to appear amongst these organs", stated a research student of Gujarat National Law University.

Time and again, there were different moves and opinions on complete separation of powers as the present concept results in undesirable and impracticable practices that have diluted the very spirit of democracy. The fact remains that one person or body of persons should not exercise all the three functions of parliamentary democracy. 'Montesquieu, a French scholar, found that concentration of power in one person or a group of persons results in tyranny. Therefore decentralization of power is necessary to check tyranny. He felt the need for vesting the governmental power in three different organs the legislature, the executive and the judiciary and each should be independent of the other'.

In India this is a national problem and misuse of power is an issue of concern. Interference by the legislature on the functioning of the executive and the judiciary has resulted in various human right violations throughout the country. Lately, a movement against such corrupt practice of power under the banner of "Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy" was launched in Shillong. Due to some political interference in the judicial process, 14 leading NGOs came together to protest the release of a legislator from Jaintia Hills without thorough investigation for his involvement in the recent jail-break. This has forced the state government of Meghalaya to reopen the case, which just proved that the executive is once again encroaching on a judicial ruling.

In the Indian constitution also, there is mention that the executive powers of the Union and of a State is vested by the Constitution in the President and the Governor, respectively, by articles 53(1) and 154(1), but there is no corresponding provision vesting the legislative and judicial powers in any particular organ. It has accordingly been held that there is no rigid separation of powers.

Though it appears that our constitution has based itself upon doctrine of separation of powers, with Judiciary as an independent organ without any interference on its judicial functions, yet many a time it has acquitted the worst criminals. It is understood that most criminals can even take anticipatory bail before arrest warrants are issued. Hence, they move freely in the society without being properly interrogated or tried. In almost all such cases it is found that someone with legislative or executive power, extends patronage.

A careful study found that the doctrine of separation of powers has not been incorporated in India in its real sense. The executive is a part of the legislature. The executive power vests in the President but in reality he is only a formal head and that, the Real head is the Prime minister along with his Council of Ministers 'Art. 74(1)'. Judiciary too can be seen exercising administrative functions when it supervises all the subordinate courts. It has legislative power also which is reflected in formulation of rules regulating their own procedure for the conduct and disposal of cases. In India, we follow a separation of functions and not of powers. Therefore, the doctrine of separation of powers is a theoretical concept and is impracticable to follow absolutely.

The recent Supreme Court judgments- on the cash-for-query case and on the Ninth Schedule - have once again brought to the fore the overlapping powers and roles of the legislature and the judiciary. In the case of the former, the court upheld the Lok Sabha's decision to expel members of Parliament, who were caught on camera taking bribes, but clearly rejected the contention that it cannot review parliament's power to expel MPs and claimed for itself the role of final arbitrator on decisions taken by the legislature. The judgment on the Ninth Schedule has curtailed Parliament's power to keep certain progressive laws outside judicial review.

Though the Movement in Shillong was basically to protest the unconditional release of a suspect by the Court of Law, however as baptized-"Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy", it has a better scope for brining changes in the governing system in the state of Meghalaya. Further, if the movement is carried forward in its true spirit, Meghalaya can create history and be a model for separation of powers in the country.

In Meghalaya today, the judiciary is directly or indirectly attached to the executive. In the lower courts, even minor cases have been pending for decades as the magistrates are also performing the duty of bureaucrats or head of departments. The state government had even made commitments to separate them from each other, but nothing has materialized. The Movement can create an impact this time and put pressure upon the government to take immediate steps to rectify the system and avoid any interference on the powers and functions of each organ.

B.Khrawkupar
Jt. Secretary
Shillong Press Club

You can e-mail your letters to the Editor at: letters@theshillongtimes.com

NEW DELHI: Assuring that the Centre will amend controversial the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), now in force in Manipur, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has said the Centre would take up a massive developmental work in the Northeastern region to end the insurgency problem.

"The Union Home Ministry is already working on amendments to the AFSPA," Dr Singh told Union Minister of State for Rural Development Ms Agatha Sangma, who called on him at his residence on Thursday.

Ms Sangma, who met Manipur's 'Iron woman' Sharmila during her recent visit to the state, appealed to the Prime Minister to repeal or amend the controversial act.

"The Government would do everything to save her life and bring normalcy in the disturbed state," Ms Sangma told The Shillong Times after the meeting. Dr Singh also assured Ms Sangma that the UPA Government would take up massive developmental work in the region to remove its economic backwardness.

"The Government is keen on solving all vexed issues plaguing the region," the Prime Minister told Ms Sangma.

An Assam government spokesperson said Mathur died at the Fortis Hospital at 8.15pm following respiratory failure. He said, ''The Governor complained of respiratory trouble in the evening and was shifted to the Fortis Hospital and he passed away soon after.'' He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

Singapore: Mizoram Chief Minister Pu Lalthanhawla on Thursday created a minor stir here when he said that in India he is often asked if he is an Indian because he hails from the northeast.

Speaking at the Singapore International Water Week, the chief minister said: "In India, people ask me if I am an Indian."

"When I go south, people ask me such questions. They ask me if I am from Nepal or elsewhere. They forget that the northeast is part of India. I have told many that see, I am an Indian like you," Lalthanhawla said.

The CM said that Indians consist of three races - "Dravidians, Aryans and we in the northeast (where people have facial features similar those in southeast and east Asia)."

Though many northeastern students complain of discrimination in places like New Delhi, a state chief minister speaking from an international podium about an issue unrelated to the subject concerned was not liked by other Indian delegates present.

"This is unfair. We Indians are always divided and this is visible in a water event too. Many Australians must be feeling happy here," said an Indian delegate requesting anonymity.

In the past month at least 16 Indian students in Australia have faced what they alleged were racial attacks, though the Australian government denied the attacks had anything to do with racial discrimination. (IANS)