Meghalaya

A 21-member team of Meghalaya officers visited London recently as part of training on urban management strategy. An official source said the four-day training on 'Shillong Urban Strategy 'was hosted by London School of Economics. Deputy commissioners were also part of the delegation. Sources said that with the challenges in waste management, sewage system, polluted rivers and traffic congestion coupled with absence of open space and aversion to public transport system, how the training abroad will help in achieving the dream of a livable city. Many projects under the Smart City initiative have not shown the desired results.

The Employability Accelerator Programme, a joint initiative of UNIQLO India Private Limited and Avenues Meghalaya aimed at expanding employment opportunities and improving job readiness for youth, marked the successful completion of its inaugural batches with a certification event held in Shillong recently. Over 160 training participants including college-going and unemployed youth, and representing different communities of the Northeast region, were certified after completing an intensive 80-hour training programme focused on workplace readiness and employability, completely sponsored by UNIQLO. Counted amongst the world's top three fashion brands, UNIQLO Japan has an extensive presence across the world and has significantly stepped-up operations in India with multiple flagship st...

The MegLIFE project under the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Meghalaya Rural Bank to strengthen livelihood promotion through improved access to financial services. The agreement, signed at the MegLIFE office, aims to facilitate credit linkages for Integrated Village Cooperative Societies (IVCS) under the project, enabling rural communities to access formal banking support for income-generating activities. The MoU was signed by Gavade Sachin Shankar, Executive Director of MBDA and Additional Project Director of MegLIFE, and Ashish Yadav, Chairman of Meghalaya Rural Bank, in the presence of senior officials from both institutions. Officials said the partnership is expected to deepen financial inclusion across project a...

The Meghalaya Cricket Association’s indoor cricket academy at Kurkalang will be formally inaugurated on April 28, alongside a wider rollout of indoor stadiums across six northeastern states. The programme will be led virtually by Narendra Modi from Sikkim, marking a coordinated push to strengthen sports infrastructure in the region. MCA president James PK Sangma has invited members and affiliates to attend the ceremony at the Kurkalang facility, calling it a key moment for cricket in the state. The launch follows efforts to complete the academy after construction delays under the previous administration. Sangma said he had sought the intervention of Conrad K Sangma to accelerate the process. “I had requested the intervention… to fast-track the completion of the Academy. I am gratef...

As part of sustained efforts to strengthen traffic enforcement, improve road discipline and ensure safer streets for the public, East Khasi Hills Police, under the supervision of the Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills and SP (City/Traffic) and Addl SP Traffic conducted a special traffic enforcement drive during the intervening night of 25th and 26th April 2026 across three sectors of Shillong city Sadar, Laitumkhrah and Lumdiengjri. The drive was undertaken to intensify enforcement against traffic violations and unsafe road practices through coordinated, multi-location checking, particularly during night hours when such violations are more prevalent. The enforcement focused on detection of drunk driving, illegal modification of exhaust systems and lights, black-tinted v...

The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) has imposed a penalty of Rs 31.25 lakh on the Chief Engineer (NH), Public Works Department (PWD) for environmental violations linked to the Jowai Bypass Road project in West Jaintia Hills. The fine was imposed under Section 33A of the Water Act and Section 31A of the Air Act, read with the Central Pollution Control Board’s methodology for assessment of environmental compensation. The violations were found during inspections conducted by a Joint Committee constituted under the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The committee, headed by MSPCB member secretary George Hagi Chyrmang, submitted its “action taken” report to the tribunal on April 24 in compliance with earlier orders dated February 4 and March 11, 2026. Accor...

To strengthen grassroots biodiversity governance by empowering local communities and institutions through the greening of Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) and innovative financing, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) have launched a landmark five-year project titled ‘Strengthening Institutional Capacities for Securing Biodiversity Conservation Commitments’. The project is a joint initiative of the Government of India, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with a grant of USD 4.88 million for the period 2025–2030. The project is rooted in two ecologically significant landscapes of Meghalaya and Tamil Nadu. In Garo Hills, Meghalaya, the Nokrek B...

A 40-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death by his co-tenant following a dispute in Mawblei on Saturday morning. The deceased, identified as Sumeet Kr Singha, was reportedly assaulted by Sanjay Kumar (42) inside their residential building at around 8 am. According to police, the accused used a "No Parking" board as a weapon during the altercation. Preliminary investigation suggests that the incident was triggered by suspicion on the part of the victim, who believed that the accused was having an affair with his wife. The matter escalated into a heated argument, which soon turned violent. Singha was rushed to Supercare Hospital for treatment; however, doctors declared him brought dead on arrival.Confirming the incident, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said ...

Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Friday hit back at the opposition VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit for alleging that the state government was "harassing" teachers by directing them to clear the Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET), calling the statement "condemnable" and accusing the VPP chief of "not understanding the truth." "His statement alleging that we are harassing the teachers by asking them to clear the MTET is highly condemnable because he does not understand what the truth is. Before making such allegations, I feel he should first find out the reason behind such a decision," Rymbui told reporters. "However, Ardent, for some reason, sees everything through his 'black glasses' and through his dark lens, and that is why he does not see the truth," he...

Four minors among five persons were arrested and two scootys recovered from Pdengshakap in West Jaintia Hills district. The arrests and recoveries were made following a shift operation by police based on two separate complaints of theft lodged on Thursday. The police identified one suspected vehicle used in the theft through examination of CCTV footage. Acting swiftly, intensive patrolling was conducted, leading to the interception of the suspected vehicle. Five occupants, including four minors, were detained and brought to Phramer Traffic Cell, West Jaintia Hills, for interrogation. Additional Superintendent of Police (DSB) CW Lyngdoh informed that one scooty was stolen from Ialong Civil Hospital, Jowai while the other was lifted from Nongmensong, Langkyrding the same day. Based o...