Meghalaya

The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) in Meghalaya has issued a public health advisory, urging citizens to seek immediate medical attention at the first sign of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) to prevent potential outbreaks in the state. The advisory, released late Friday night, comes in the wake of recent GBS cases reported in Pune, Maharashtra, which have raised alarms among health authorities nationwide. GBS is a rare but serious neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nerves. The condition often follows infections such as respiratory illnesses, gastroenteritis, dengue, or the Zika virus. Health officials warn that early detection is critical. Symptoms such as muscle weakness, tingling or numbness starting in the legs, d...

Drug use among Meghalaya's youth starts as early as 10, far younger than in Manipur or Nagaland, where the average initiation age is 22, a recent study has found. The qualitative study, published in the Indian Journal of Public Health (April-June 2025 edition), was conducted by researchers from the Indian Institute of Public Health, Shillong, and the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society. It surveyed 128 people enrolled in opioid substitution therapy across East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills, along with 17 service providers.

Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), Vijay Rahatkar, has voiced deep concern over a disturbing rise in single motherhood, HIV cases among women, and incidents of domestic violence in Meghalaya. The alarming trends, she said, require urgent and coordinated action from the state’s law enforcement and administrative machinery. Rahatkar, who is on an official visit to the state, chaired a high-level review meeting with Chief Secretary Donald P. Wahlang, Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang, and other senior police officials. During the meeting, she directed the Meghalaya Police to set up dedicated women’s help desks in all of the state’s 70-plus police stations. She also urged that anti-human trafficking units be established in every district at the earliest,...

An organisation demanding introduction of the ILP regime in Meghalaya on Friday alleged that factories in Byrnihat are sheltering undocumented migrants from neighbouring Assam. The Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), which has long advocated for the implementation of the ILP in Meghalaya, said it carried out a surprise verification drive across several industrial units in Ri-Bhoi district. The drive, conducted on Friday, reportedly uncovered the presence of a large number of migrant workers lacking valid documents. “These factories are becoming safe havens for illegal immigrants from Assam. Many are working without identification, labour licences, or police verification, which is a clear violation of Meghalaya’s labour laws,” FKJGP president Dundee C Khongsit told repo...

National Commission for Women chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar on Friday expressed concern over the alleged rise in the number of single mothers, increasing HIV cases among women, and growing incidents of domestic violence in Meghalaya. During her review meeting with the chief secretary and senior police officers including DGP, Rahatkar directed the Meghalaya Police to establish women help desks in all 70-plus police stations and also set up anti-human trafficking units in every district, as part of a coordinated effort to strengthen responses to crimes against women. "I have reviewed how women in Shillong are benefiting from government schemes and how key laws are being enforced on the ground," she told reporters after the meeting. She highlighted a worrying trend flagged by the DGP — a...

Meghalaya’s vibrant weaving heritage took centre stage on Thursday as the state celebrated National Handloom Day with a proud focus on two of its most treasured traditional crafts—Ryndia and Khasi handloom—both of which have now been granted the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The celebration, organised by the Department of Textiles, Government of Meghalaya, was held in Shillong and brought together weavers, artisans, officials, and cultural enthusiasts. The GI tag is a legal recognition that protects and promotes products with unique qualities tied to their place of origin. For Ryndia and Khasi handloom, this means national and international recognition for their cultural and historical value, as well as potential economic growth for the artisans who create them. Gove...

The Meghalaya Cabinet on Thursday approved a new rule to allow traditional alcoholic beverages to be produced and sold legally under proper licencing, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Thursday. The new rule is applicable only to fermented local drinks traditionally made by indigenous communities across the state, such as bitchi, and excludes distilled liquor, which falls under a separate category, he said. "Until now, there was no legal framework to regulate or support our traditional fermented beverages," Sangma said after the Cabinet meeting.  "We are recognising and promoting local fermented brews by giving individuals, entrepreneurs, societies and firms a chance to get a proper licence to produce and sell," the chief minister said, adding that the move is expected to boo...

Coal mining has officially resumed in Meghalaya under scientific and regulated frameworks, a decade after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a ban on such activity in the state in 2014, an official statement said on Thursday. Marking a significant shift towards environmentally sustainable practices, two coal blocks in Meghalaya - Saryngkham A Coal Block in East Jaintia Hills district and Pyndengshahlang Coal Block in West Khasi Hills district - have commenced production after receiving statutory approvals from the Ministry of Coal. The Saryngkham A Coal Block was granted opening permission on March 10, 2025, and began production on June 3, 2025, while the Pyndengshahlang Coal Block received permission on May 2, 2025, and commenced operations on June 5, 2025, the Coal Ministry...

The Meghalaya transport department has issued a 60-day deadline to owners of goods vehicles to reverse unauthorised body modifications or face strict legal action under motor vehicle laws, officials said on Wednesday. In a notice, the department said it had observed several instances of light, medium, and heavy goods vehicles operating with illegal alterations, including extended length, width, and height, carried out without approval from the registering authority and beyond manufacturer-approved dimensions. "These modifications are a blatant breach of Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Rule 93 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989," the department stated. A senior Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) revealed that many of the illegally modified vehicles suffer from poor bal...

The body of an agriculture department officer who went missing after being swept away by strong currents while picnicking near the banks of Ganol river was recovered by police from a location near Pelga falls in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district on Wednesday, officials said. Teseng M Sangma, a district agriculture officer posted in Ampati, went missing on Sunday evening (August 3) while attempting to cross the Ganol river, which was in spate due to heavy rainfall. A massive search operation was launched by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Special Response Team (SRT), police personnel and local volunteers since Sunday evening. SRT teams from Tura and Damalgre worked in tandem, focusing on downstream stretches at Pelga and Domesal Wari, while others swept through Waa Wari...