Meghalaya

Meghalaya’s annual Winter Tales festival is set to return to Ward’s Lake on December 11–13 with a stronger push for sustainability, highlighted by the launch of the Go Green Awards 2025. The three-day event, organised by The Meghalayan Age Limited with the state’s Tourism Department and curated by Dakti, will feature the new awards programme as its key addition. The Go Green Awards aim to recognise individuals, groups, and community efforts driving practical, eco-friendly change across Meghalaya. Now in its sixth year, the festival continues to emphasise handmade craft, local stories, and environmentally responsible practices. Stalls, installations, performances, and food offerings will once again focus on materials such as bamboo, jute, and other locally sourced resources, with organi...

Twenty-four children from Meghalaya arrived home safely on December 2 after being brought back from Chikkaballapur district in Karnataka, where they had been staying in an unregistered and poorly maintained facility. The children were formally received at the Directorate of Social Welfare in Shillong, with officials and child-rights representatives present during the handover. Agatha Sangma, chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), said the safe return marked the priority of the day's proceedings. She thanked officials in both Karnataka and Meghalaya whose joint efforts ensured the children travelled back unharmed. However, Sangma expressed alarm at the growing frequency of such cases, where children are moved outside the state without proper authoris...

National President Conrad K Sangma today felicitated newly appointed Manipur State President, Dr Lorho S. Pfoze at NPP headquarters in Shillong. Newly appointed leader of legislative party, Rameshwar M. Singh and Chief Whip, Loken Singh. The two newly appointed working president were also felicitated by the NPP chief, Noorul Hasan, MLA, Working President, Manipur and Janghemlung Panmei,MLA, Working President, Manipur.

In a sharp riposte to Meghalaya Congress chief Vincent H. Pala’s remark on regional front “One North East” as nothing but a BJP-RSS plan, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday hit back, alleging that the Opposition party was ‘already’ a divided house, and hence need not be further divided. “Nobody needs to work to divide them as Congress is already a divided house,” Sangma stated. The Chief Minister also said that as “One North East”, they are not here to fight against or oppose anyone since the front is here from a positive perspective of unification and to send a message of unity of a region. “We believe that the northeastern states and communities must work together in the larger interest of the region. Only when we are united and present a united front can we be able...

The Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) Meghalaya on Monday arrested four individuals and seized a total of 72.93 grams of heroin in two separate operations carried out in the city. According to ANTF SP Giri Prasad M, the first raid was conducted around 2:30 p.m. following specific intelligence inputs. ANTF personnel raided the Seven Sisters Hotel at Police Bazar, where three boxes of heroin were recovered from two rooms.Two boxes were found in Room 25 in the possession of Sajul Ali (28). Another box was recovered from Room 11, occupied by Rahim Uddin Lashar, who was staying along with Akbar Ali (31). The seized heroin weighed 42.56 grams. The three individuals were immediately apprehended, and the contraband will be handed over to the Sadar Police Station after completion of formal pro...

The National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya has urged the central government to reconsider its reported decision to deny an entry visa to US evangelist Franklin Graham. The visa denial led to the cancellation of Graham’s planned programme at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Kohima, disappointing thousands who had prepared to attend. NPP national working president James PK Sangma wrote to the Centre, highlighting the emotional impact on Christian communities and recalling Nagaland’s long association with the Graham family, dating back to Billy Graham’s 1972 visit. Sangma warned that blocking a peaceful religious event could fuel misunderstanding in predominantly Christian regions of the Northeast. He requested a review of the decision, saying it would reassure Christian communities an...

The Dorbar Shnong Nongjrong has decided to close Nongjrong Viewpoint and other tourist spots in the Nongirong every Sunday starting from January 2026.  In a notification, the Dorbar Shnong saud that entry of visitors into the village will be restricted from Saturday night until the end of Sunday and all homestays will also remain closed on that day. The Dorbar Shnong has apologised for any inconvenience that thus order may cause to the travel plans of tourists as the decision has been taken collectively by the community. The Shnong in the notification further informed that. In Nongjrong, visitors often gather at the viewpoint at the same time, leading to heavy use of limited facilities. This creates difficulties for both the local community and the visitors. To ensure smooth arran...

The District Magistrate of East Khasi Hills has banned overloaded hay-laden trucks and pickup vehicles from operating within Shillong city limits, citing serious fire safety concerns. Officials issued the prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita on December 1, following reports that overloaded hay vehicles pose significant risks when they come into contact with overhead electric wires. Authorities warned such incidents could trigger major fires across the city. The ban also addresses a separate issue plaguing Shillong's streets. Hay falling from poorly secured loads has been littering roads throughout residential areas, creating public nuisances and hampering the district's ongoing annual cleaning campaign. Violators will face prosecution under Sect...

A renewed drive to expand Meghalaya’s organic export capacity dominated the closing day of the 1st Northeast India Organic Week and the 4th IFOAM World Organic Youth Summit on December 1, with the state’s prized Khasi Mandarin emerging as the key focus for policymakers and exporters. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma stressed that strengthening the organic mission will demand “unwavering and coordinated efforts from all stakeholders,” underscoring that farmers remain central to every policy decision. He reminded participants that the event should be viewed “as the beginning of a longer journey,” adding that government programmes will stay “target-based and time-bound.” The Khasi Mandarin—a bright, sweet, aromatic and easy-to-peel orange native to Meghalaya—was highlighted as a flagship pr...

Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, toady, inaugurated the office budding of the Directorate of Community & Rural Development at Lower Lachumiere, Shillong, in the presence of Minister, C&RD, Sosthenes Sohtun, Chief Secretary, Dr Shakil P. Ahammed, Principal Secretary, C&RD, Sampath Kumar and Director, C&RD, S C Sadhu. Delivering the inaugural address, Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, said that the Community & Rural Development department plays an important role in the economic and social upliftment of rural areas. “The C&RD department has been performing well with committed and focussed dedication in delivering schemes, projects and welfare activities to rural communities making a difference in the lives of the people in the villages,” he said. Congratulating the ...