SHILLONG: The Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO) has slammed the new Industrial Policy of State Government which paves way for leasing out land to mining companies and the likes saying that it was in gross violation of the Land Transfer Act.

“The Government is clearly trying to sell off our lands and allowing industrialists to destroy our lands and exploit us and also make money from all the subsidies and thereby destroying the very existence of the Land Transfer Act,” CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said in a statement on Sunday.

SHILLONG: Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Dr. Charan Das Mahant, visited ICAR Research Complex for NEH region, Umiam for a two day visit here on Saturday. During the visit, the MoS inaugurated the Phenomics facility at Plant Breeding division of ICAR-RC-NEH at Umiam.

While highlighting the organic strength of the region, he said, “The north eastern region has the capacity to be the next organic producer in the country, if agricultural development is spread through adoption of innovative research being done at ICAR and other State Agricultural Universities in the region”.

SHILLONG: Replacing the 15-year-old state industrial policy, the State Cabinet on Saturday approved the new Meghalaya Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy, 2012 aimed at preventing land alienation and to protect the interest of local entrepreneurs.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma said the new policy, which replaced the industrial policy of 1997, would also help to empower the local entrepreneurs besides checking rampant purchase of land by industries.

Meghalaya Government officially launched the universal medical health insurance for all the residents of the State at a public function here yesterday, stating it is the first of its kind in the co

SHILLONG: As many as 60 land owners including farmers staged a protest on Wednesday near Mawryngkneng demanding compensation for the land used for constructing the Shillong By pass.

The villagers from Diengpasoh, Thangshalai and Mawryngkneng together with KSU also stopped the construction work in the area between Mawryngkneng and Diengpasoh.

Shillong: Glaring anomalies in the functioning of department of health and family welfare has deprived thousands of people of West Garo Hills with basic health care benefits ,revealed the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

Holding the department of health and family welfare responsible for the deprivation of basic health care in West Garo Hills, the CAG directly stated that patient care suffered due to shortage of Community Health Centres (CHCs) Public Health Centres (CHCS) and Sub centres (SCs) and inadequate infrastructure like non-functional operation theatres, lack of ultra sound,ECG and 24x 7 diagnostic services, besides the absence of medical specialist.

SHILLONG: Principal Secretary, Urban Affairs Department, P Naik has asserted that the proposed New Shillong Township is the only hope to save Shillong from further de-congestion and informed that the Government is according priority to the land acquisition process for the same.

Talking to media persons here in the city recently, Naik said, “We have to go a long way and Shillong Township is the hope to save Shillong. ”The ongoing land acquisition process for the project has been dogged by controversy as farmers from the area had claimed that the land in possession of the Government at Mawdiangdiang was sold without their knowledge and consent by one Unikey Kharkongor of Laitumkhrah.

The Cabinet approved the proposed Meghalaya Forest Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2012 to have clarity on the definition of the areas which would be considered as Forest.

SHILLONG: 49 deaths including three children since 2002 due to HIV/AIDS in Meghalaya, coupled with the increase in the number of affected persons over the years reveal that the AIDS cases are incr

SHILLONG: As global warming is taking its toll, a remarkable change in climate is seen. The same is experienced in Meghalaya, where the crisis for drinking water is one of the biggest problems despite the state receiving good rainfall.

To tackle this problem before it goes out of hand, an immediate need to provide information, educate and communicate with the masses on the water-related issues was felt. With this thought in mind, the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under the Ministry of water resources, government of India has started a nation-wide campaign amongst the school children through painting competition with the theme, ‘Replete ground water before it depletes’.