Meghalaya

The Behdeinkhlam Festival, held in Jowai, Meghalaya, is a significant event for the Pnars, a tribal community. The festival, which translates to "driving away the plague," is a prayer for a bountiful harvest and a means to dispel diseases and malevolence. It transcends tradition and upholds the Pnars' ancient faith, Niamtre. The festival features unique dances, rituals, and a procession of a sacred wooden post, Symbud Khnong. It also promotes messages about drug avoidance and climate change.

Education in the rural regions of the Garo Hills has posed significant challenges for numerous students, as nature continues to disrupt their learning environment and assistance remains absent. Many educational institutions suffer from deteriorating infrastructure, transforming the pursuit of education into a daily ordeal. In Mangsang, three additional schools are underscored, where the adversities encountered by both students and teachers are beyond comprehension. Gimdil Government LP School exemplifies a dismal situation in Mangsang, where 50 students are confined to a single room, with one teacher responsible for instructing all six classes at once. The classroom is equipped with merely three benches, a blackboard, a cupboard, and lacks any other essential educational resources. The...

By installing solar power, the Meghalaya New & Renewable Energy Development Agency (MNREDA) is leading a significant renewable energy project that aims to enhance rural infrastructure and connectivity throughout the state. Additionally, construction has started on a few chosen locations for 29 community halls, four Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centers, and eight secondary schools. Solar power systems are being installed by the organization at 63 BharatNet-1 locations in Meghalaya. The MNREDA Director stated, "Schools, ICDS centers, and community halls are all part of this initiative." In order to enhance digital connectivity and encourage the use of renewable energy in rural regions, he continued, "we want to guarantee a stable and sustainable power supply for Bhara...

In a move aimed at ensuring the safety of passengers using commercial vehicles, the Meghalaya government has decided to make it mandatory for all drivers of commercial taxis to display their full name, address, vehicle number, and driving licence details inside the vehicle. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Shri Sniawbhalang Dhar, who also holds the Transport portfolio, along with Minister Shri Paul Lyngdoh and senior officials of the department. As per the new directive, commercial drivers will also be required to keep all necessary documents related to the vehicle and their own credentials readily available for verification. The initiative comes in the wake of a recent incident where a young woman was reportedly drugged and robbed whi...

Two BSF personnel were injured in an attack by suspected cattle smugglers along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district, officials said on Wednesday. The incident took place near the Khasimara river in the early hours of July 12, they said. The BSF personnel spotted movements of 30 to 40 cattle heads along with around 20 people on the Bangladeshi side of the border, according to an FIR lodged with the Meghalaya Police.

The Captain Williamson Sangma State University (CWSSU) marked a historic milestone with the successful convening of its first Academic Council meeting at the University's main campus in Tura, West Garo Hills District on July 11. The meeting was attended in full by all members of the Academic Council and marks a foundational moment in the academic evolution of the University. This first sitting saw the formal adoption of key academic regulations, approval of undergraduate and postgraduate syllabi, and the ratification of the Boards of Studies constituted across various disciplines. In total, syllabi were approved for 15 postgraduate and 21 undergraduate disciplines, including subjects from the sciences, humanities, social sciences, commerce and regional languages. These include: Anthrop...

In a major stride toward promoting clean and sustainable energy, the Meghalaya New & Renewable Energy Development Agency (MNREDA) has initiated the large-scale installation of solar power systems at 63 BharatNet-1 sites across the state. The move is aimed at powering government schools, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centres, and community halls to boost rural digital connectivity through reliable green energy. Under this solarisation initiative, 22 Government Lower Primary Schools are currently being equipped with off-grid solar inverter systems. Installation work has also started at 8 secondary schools, 4 ICDS centres, and 29 community halls, with further expansion planned. Parallelly, under the Chief Minister’s Solar Mission, East Garo Hills has begun solarising...

In a major road mishap on National Highway 27 near 10th Mile, a petrol-laden tanker overturned and burst into flames just opposite the NRL petrol pump. The incident occurred around 11 PM and caused widespread panic due to the intensity of the fire. The tanker, bearing registration number MZ01 AA 9286, was en route from Guwahati when it lost control and overturned, leading to a sudden fire outbreak triggered by fuel leakage and sparks. Fortunately, the alertness of the driver, who managed to jump out and escape in time, prevented any casualties. Due to the raging blaze, several fire tenders from both Assam and Meghalaya were rushed to the scene to control the inferno. Traffic came to a complete halt along the stretch, causing severe congestion through the morning hours. Though the ta...

In 2024, over 14 million children across the globe did not receive any vaccine doses, as reported by the UN agencies World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF on Tuesday, based on new national immunisation coverage data. The findings indicated that nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine last year, jeopardizing decades of advancements. Additionally, more than 30 million children remained inadequately protected against measles, resulting in an increase in significant or disruptive outbreaks. The number of countries facing large or disruptive measles outbreaks surged to 60 in 2024, nearly doubling from 33 in 2022. The report attributed this situation to limited access to immunisation services, supply disruptions,...

A senior advocate has issued a strong caution to the East Khasi Hills District Administration, warning that any attempt to evict hawkers from Khyndailad (Police Bazar) without first preparing a list of licensed vendors would constitute a direct violation of the Meghalaya High Court’s directive. Special officer and senior advocate Subhasis Chakrawarty, in a formal letter to Deputy Commissioner RM Kurbah, cited the High Court’s order dated July 3, which clearly mandated that a vendor list be prepared in consultation with the hawkers’ association, local police, and relevant authorities before any enforcement action is taken."This direction of the high court has not yet been complied with, and therefore the question of who are the unlicensed street hawkers at Khyndailad area remains undetermi...