Meghalaya

An agreement for resumption of farming activities of villagers of Lapangap is awaiting a formal nod from the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) of neighboring Assam. The disputed border region has witnessed repeated tension over cultivation rights of the villagers from Meghalaya side. Informing about the agreement, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of Home (Police), Prestone Tynsong, said Meghalaya officials visited the area on Wednesday as part of efforts to restore peace in the region. Asserting the rights of farmers of Lapangap, he said they had been cultivating the land for generations. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had earlier held discussions with the Assam government and KAAC members over the issue, he said. Earlier, both the sides had agreed to allow seasonal paddy cult...

The Centre has initiated the process for appointing a new vice-chancellor for North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Shillong, amid continuing uncertainty over the functioning of the institution. The Ministry of Education invited online applications from eligible candidates for the post. The application process will continue till June 18, according to an official notification. The vice-chancellor, as the academic and administrative head of the university, should possess "the highest level of competence, integrity, morals and institutional commitment", it said. The move comes ahead of the completion of the tenure of the incumbent VC Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla, whose term is scheduled to end on July 26. According to the advertisement, the candidate should be a distinguished academician...

In a escalating wave of local opposition, members of the Jaintia National Council (JNC) and the Jaintia Students Union (JSU), alongside residents of Daistong village, staged a fierce protest at the Deputy Commissioner's office in East Jaintia Hills on Wednesday, May 20. The protestors are demanding the immediate cancellation of an upcoming public hearing scheduled for May 22, which was organized by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board to discuss the proposed limestone mining project by Shree Cement Limited at Lumsyrman, located within the Daistongarea. The demonstration took a chaotic turn when the agitated crowd suddenly attempted to storm the premises of the Deputy Commissioner's office. This led to a tense standoff and physical scuffles between the security forces on du...

The Food Safety Department in Shillong has launched a specialized advanced catering program aimed at elevating food hygiene standards ahead. of the 2027 National Games. Deputy Commissioner of Food Safety, D.B.S. Mukhim, revealed that 18 of the capital's most renowned restaurants participated in the initial session. The comprehensive training covers all aspects of the hospitality chain, focusing strictly on safe food handling, proper storage, hygienic preparation, and professional serving practices. While the upcoming National Games have brought sharper focus to these standards, local authorities emphasize that food safety must be a permanent commitment. Officials are strictly implementing "Schedule 4" of the Food Safety regulations, which prioritizes overall establishment hygiene. T...

The multinational military exercise PRAGATI 2026 commenced on Tuesday at the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya with the participation of armed forces contingents from 12 friendly nations across the Indian Ocean Region and Southeast Asia. The participating countries include Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. The contingents received a traditional welcome from the Indian Army upon their arrival, reflecting India’s cultural heritage and hospitality. PRAGATI, which stands for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region, is being conducted to promote friendship, equality and mutual respect among participating nations. The exercise aims to strengthen military-t...

A two-week multinational military exercise involving defence personnel from 13 countries began on Wednesday at Umroi Military Station with a focus on counter-terrorism operations in jungle and semi-mountainous terrain.The exercise, named PRAGATI 2026, has brought together troops from India and 12 partner nations — Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. According to Mahender Rawat, the joint exercise is aimed at improving interoperability and coordination among participating armies through tactical drills, joint planning exercises and simulated counter-terror operations in difficult terrain conditions. Officials said the training programme will focus on endurance, adaptability, discipline and operational coordi...

Exercise PRAGATI 2026, a multilateral military exercise involving 12 friendly nations, commenced on Wednesday at Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya. Participating countries include Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. The visiting contingents received a traditional welcome from the Indian Army upon arrival. PRAGATI short for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region aims to strengthen military cooperation, promote professional exchange and enhance coordination among participating armies. The exercise is being conducted in the spirit of equality, friendship and mutual respect. Addressing the opening ceremony, Major General Sunil Sheoran, Additional Di...

The Meghalaya Health Care Association (MHCA) on Wednesday joined the nationwide one-day bandh called by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD). As part of the bandh, all wholesale and retail pharmacies across the country remained closed, including around 2,600 medicine shops in Meghalaya. The AIOCD, which represents over 12.40 lakh chemists and distributors across India, has raised concerns over the continued online sale of medicines without clear and enforceable regulations. The MHCA alleged that while online sale of medicines was permitted during the COVID-19 pandemic under exceptional circumstances to ensure access to essential medicines, the practice has continued Speaking to reporters, MHCA president David Kharsati said the association had already in...

East Khasi Hills district has launched preparations for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 election cycle, with authorities announcing a large-scale house-to-house voter verification drive covering more than 1,000 polling stations. The revision exercise, being carried out under the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), places Meghalaya in Phase III of the nationwide electoral roll update programme. District election authorities on Monday briefed representatives of recognised political parties in Shillong on the roadmap, timelines and operational procedures for the exercise. Officials said East Khasi Hills district currently has 17 Assembly constituencies and 1,021 polling stations. According to the schedule shared during the ...

Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district has begun preparations for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for 2026, with political parties briefed on timelines, verification procedures and the role of booth-level agents ahead of the exercise. The district currently has 17 Assembly constituencies and 1,021 polling stations, making it one of the key districts in the state’s Phase-III revision process. According to officials, booth-level officers will conduct house-to-house verification from June 30 to July 29 as part of the revision drive. The draft electoral roll is scheduled to be published on August 5, while claims and objections can be filed till September 4. The final electoral roll will be released on October 7. Authorities said the 2005 electoral roll will ser...