NONGSTOIN: Four West Khasi Hills based NGOs – FKJGP (West Khasi Hills), West Khasi Hills Students’ Union, KSU (West Khasi Hills) and the Western Youth Front – who had earlier extended the deadline

SHILLONG: Police have registered a case of negligence against the manager of the rat hole mine located at Nengkul, Rongsa Awe of Nangalbibra in East Garo Hills, where labourers are still trapped in

SHILLONG: With the objective of enhancing effective and optimal utilization of funds in the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) towards development of the Northeastern States including Meghalaya, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) for introduction of a new Central Sector Plan Scheme titled “Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources – Central – (NLCPOR -Central)”.

SHILLONG: The State Government has not yet approved the mining lease for several companies which are keen to mine the natural resources in the State.

“Altogether, eight companies have applied for mining lease,” Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters recently. He also informed that the companies which have applied for mining lease include the cement companies in Jaintia Hills, namely Adhunik and Star Cement which had submitted fresh applications.

SHILLONG: The Social Organizations of Meghalaya Against Land Alienation (SOMALA) has held the Government responsible for alienation of tribal lands.

“This large scale alienation of land belonging to the indigenous people is against the letter and spirit of the Sixth Schedule,” SOMALA Convener W Anthony told reporters here on Tuesday. Concerned over the matter SOMALA has decided to send a letter to Manmohan Singh to apprise him of the illegal possession of land while by-passing the land transfer act 1971.

SHILLLONG: AIDS, one of the most dreaded diseases of the immune system has a high rate of occurrence in the world and has claimed the lives of many.

The Northeastern part of the country has recorded a staggering increase in the number of AIDS cases over the past few years. As per the available statistics, there are altogether 915 people in the State who have been tested HIV positive between 2002 and March 2012. The total number of people who underwent HIV testing at Integrated Counseling and Testing Centres (ICTCs) was 61,848 between the same period.

SHILLONG: The State Government has taken exception to the delay by Lafarge Umiam Mining Private Ltd (LUMPL) in handing over the proposed land to allow the Government to start the process of compensatory afforestation.

As a penalty for carrying out limestone mining in forest land measuring about 116.589 hectare at Nongtrai Shella in East Khasi Hills district to facilitate supply of limestone to its cement plant located in Bangladesh, the Supreme Court in its ruling on July 6, 2011 had directed LUMPL to pay certain amount to the State Government for compensatory afforestation from April 1, 2007 towards Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).

SHILLONG: The Northeastern States of the country are going to get Rs 100 crore within this year from the Agriculture Ministry for supporting various activities relating to rice cultivation under th

According to United Nations statistics, the majority of the BPL in India are illiterate and lack drinking water. In the rural areas, there is a lack of toilets and the rural populace are subjected to unsanitary work conditions.

“We are more divided than ever before,” Dr Kashyap said while claiming that even Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has expressed his sorrow and is deeply worried about the future of the Parliamentary democracy in India.

Shillong: The calculated silence on the issue of mining in forest areas and violation of Forest Act, 1980 by cement companies’ in Jaintia Hills or rather by official custodians of forests who have issued no objection certificates (NOC) in such forest lands till now, is being challenged vide a public interest litigation filed by the Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF).

The JYF filed their PIL against a set of respondents including the State Government, in the Supreme Court. Chief Justice of India who heard the case, in his ruling on April 20, this year disposed off the matter with liberty for JYF to file the petition in any other appropriate court first.