Meghalaya

Congress MP from Tura, Saleng A Sangma on Thursday came down heavily on the state government for “unchecked illegal trade and smuggling activities” along Meghalaya’s border with Bangladesh. He said the continuing inaction is not only fuelling the state’s drug crisis but also endangering public health, with children now falling victim to HIV infections. Raising concerns over the deteriorating situation, Saleng said, “There might be a lot of smuggling from India to Bangladesh and vice versa, and the number of drug users has increased to more than 3 lakh within these years. A major concern in Meghalaya is the HIV infection among children.” He asked why the government has failed to address the rampant illegal stone quarrying and cross-border smuggling, apart from illegal coal mining and...

The Sachin Tendulkar Foundation (STF) has joined hands with the Gates Foundation and the Government of Meghalaya to work towards a “healthier future for children”, the cricket legend announced on his official X handle on Thursday. “A step forward in our journey as Sachin Tendulkar Foundation, Gates Foundation and the Government of Meghalaya partner to work together to support a healthier future for children. As we spent time with the lively communities of Meghalaya, we were reminded that real change takes root when compassion and action come together. The strength of children, the resilience of families, and the dedication of local teams continue to inspire us as we embark on this journey with a shared vision,” the Master Blaster posted. It was in 2023 that Sachin and his wife Anjal...

The Meghalaya police have raised serious concern over a rising number of road accidents along National Highway 6, many of which have resulted in fatalities. In a public appeal, the police urged citizens to drive responsibly and report reckless driving. Despite ongoing traffic enforcement, crashes continue to occur, especially in areas with sharp curves and poor visibility. According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the main causes include over-speeding, drunk driving, illegal parking, and heavy vehicles using the wrong lane. “Though we are enforcing traffic rules strictly, precious lives are being lost too often,” a statement from the CMO said. Authorities have asked people to help by spreading awareness and cooperating with traffic rules. The public is also encouraged to repor...

The High Court of Meghalaya on Wednesday adjourned a PIL on the strengthening and improvement work of the 102 km long Jowai-Ratacherra project of National Highway 6 till June 18, 2025 with the expectation that the respondent authority will be in a position to file a completion report. During the hearing of the PIL, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) sought two months’ time from the court to complete the project work. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh said further to a February 24, 2025 order issued by the court, the Project Director of NHAI PIU, Shillong filed an affidavit dated 11th April, 2025 together with a status report. According to the status report, the NHAI commenced the project work on March 24, 2024....

The state government has assured immediate action against pressure groups who are allegedly distributing slips or extortion notes demanding money from non-tribal traders in Iewduh market under the guise of donations. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday asserted that such actions are criminal offences and will be dealt with firmly. “The law is clear…any form of forced subscription or extortion is illegal,” Tynsong stated. Tynsong said he has instructed the district administration and police to act immediately against such activities. “Traders should not hesitate to report any threats or demands for money. We have a dedicated emergency helpline operational 24×7 to respond to such incidents,” he added. A viral image of one such alleged extortion slips reportedly aimed a...

Savitri Thakur, the Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development, continued her three-day official tour of Meghalaya with a number of on-the-ground evaluations meant to improve the state's welfare delivery systems. Thakur evaluated the operational efficacy and care standards of important women's and children's development facilities in Shillong on the second day of her tour. These facilities included the One Stop Centre at Ganesh Das Hospital, Shakti Sadan at Mawroh, and a Child Care Institution in Mawkasiang. The visit was expanded to include rural areas, where the minister inspected the Aqua Park-cum-Visitor Information Center at Khliehshnong, the Community Health Center and Anganwadi Center at Mawsmai, and schemes under MGNREGA, PMAY-G, and PMGSY. In order to avoid centra...

More than 20 schools across Meghalaya have adopted Project MATE (Mind Activation Through Education), an initiative by AIIMS-Delhi to help students manage stress and anxiety through structured mental wellness strategies. The programme, developed by Dr. Nand Kumar, Professor of Psychiatry at AIIMS, is being implemented under the Meghalaya Programme for Adolescent Wellbeing with CSR support from Oil India Limited. It targets students from Classes VI to VIII, promoting holistic development and mental resilience. “Today’s students face a host of pressures—from academics to online distractions,” said Dr. Kumar. “Project MATE equips them with tools for emotional balance and mental strength.” A key element of the programme is the MATE-5 concept, which encourages children to form a circle of fi...

A team from the Wildlife Department on Wednesday discovered the carcass of a wild elephant in the forested region of 14 Mer, near Byrnihat in Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi District. Authorities strongly suspect that the animal died due to electrocution. The carcass was found during a field inspection and investigation led by Leening Wahlang, Range Forest Officer of the Wildlife Department. Preliminary findings suggest the elephant might have come into contact with high-voltage power lines running through the forest, which likely led to its death. While an official post-mortem is awaited, forest officials are treating the case with urgency and have initiated further inquiries into how such hazardous infrastructure came to intersect with a wildlife habitat. The presence of live electric wires i...

While the high pass percentage in the SSLC examinations has been widely celebrated across the state, it has also presented a significant challenge for the state government insofar as accommodating the surge of students seeking admission into Class XI is concerned. This year, a total of 55,475 students passed the SSLC examinations, surpassing the state’s existing Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) capacity of 51,000 seats. To bridge the gap, the East Khasi Hills district administration convened a meeting on April 14 with heads of all educational institutions offering Plus Two (HSSLC) courses. During the meeting, the district administration appealed to the heads of institutions to enhance their student intake without compromising the quality of education. Following th...

Rajya Sabha MP Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi has accused the VPP of opposing muscle power in principle while allegedly endorsing what he described as “goondaism” in practice. Speaking to reporters, Kharlukhi criticised the VPP leadership for remaining silent following an alleged attack on the homes of National People’s Party (NPP) supporters by individuals he claimed were affiliated with the VPP. He pointed out that the victims of the attack belong to the Khasi-Jaintia community. “Their leaders speak of love for the jaitbynriew (community), yet they have not condemned the attack. They claim to be against muscle power, but their actions reflect support for goondaism,” Kharlukhi said. He also took a dig at the VPP for demanding an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the Jaintia Hills Autono...