Nongpoh, July 2: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), North Khasi Hills District Unit, has reaffirmed that it will continue to halt the construction of the proposed food court at the Facilitation Centre in Umling until the Meghalaya government officially clarifies whether the site is intended to function as an entry point under the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) or as a commercial food court.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner Abjishek Saini on Thursday, KSU North Khasi Hills District Unit president Ferdynald Kharkamni said the meeting was convened following the Union’s recent visit to the Facilitation Centre and its discussions with the Ri Bhoi Tourism Officer, during which the Union objected to the ongoing construction.
Kharkamni said the Union had learnt that the state government intends to convert the Facilitation Centre into a food court, a move it strongly opposes. He clarified that the Union is not against the establishment of food courts in the district but believes that the Umling site was specifically earmarked to serve as a strategic entry point for implementing the MRSSA.
He recalled that after the agitation demanding the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) during 2013-14, the MRSSA was enacted and the government subsequently began identifying land for an entry point. In 2019, the Union was informed that around 15 acres of land had been identified at 19 Mer to accommodate the proposed facility. However, the land could not be acquired because of terrain-related issues.
The government later allotted about two acres of land belonging to the Transport Department at Umling, where no structures existed at the time. According to Kharkamni, the Union accepted the alternative site after discussions with the government, although a portion of the land was later utilised by the Transport Department for a weighbridge.
He further stated that when the Facilitation Centre was inaugurated in December 2020 by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, the government had informed the Union that the complex would house multiple departments, including the Tourism Department, Infiltration Department and Labour Department, along with a cafeteria. The Union accepted that proposal as it was consistent with the centre’s intended purpose.
“Today, however, we are seeing that almost the entire complex is being developed into a food court. This is deeply disappointing because we had already sacrificed the original 15-acre site and accepted a much smaller area. If the MRSSA entry point is eventually implemented here, the limited space will inevitably lead to serious traffic congestion,” he said.
Kharkamni said the Union conveyed its concerns to the Deputy Commissioner during the meeting, stressing that its opposition is directed solely at locating the food court within the Facilitation Centre and not against food courts elsewhere in the district. He added that the Union would welcome such commercial projects in suitable locations, particularly if they create opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
He expressed disappointment that during the meeting the district administration argued that halting the construction would affect development and employment generation.
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“We fully recognise the importance of employment. In fact, the KSU has repeatedly suggested that recruitment for Grade I, Grade II and Grade III government posts should be made more transparent by installing cameras during personal interviews. Employment cannot be used as a justification to divert the original purpose of this project,” he said.
Kharkamni also informed that even the contractor executing the project had express his views to the Union during the meeting, but maintained that the KSU had never been informed when the tender for the construction was floated and only became aware of the project after work had already commenced.
Reiterating the Union’s stand, Kharkamni said the KSU would continue to prevent further construction until the government confirms that the site will function as the MRSSA Facilitation Centre.
“The government must now make it clear whether this is going to be a food court or a Facilitation Centre. If it is meant to be a food court, it will show that the government is not serious about implementing the MRSSA. If it is serious, then the existing tender should be cancelled and the infrastructure should be developed exclusively for the Facilitation Centre,” he said.
Kharkamni further clarified that the KSU is not opposed to the entry of visitors from outside the state. The Union, he said, welcomes tourists, students, government officials and skilled workers whenever required, provided they enter Meghalaya legally and with proper documentation.
He maintained that a fully functional Facilitation Centre would not only help regulate the entry of people from outside the state but would also strengthen efforts to intercept illegal activities, including drug trafficking and the transportation of other illicit materials.
He said the Deputy Commissioner had sought time to discuss the matter with the government, but stressed that the final decision now rests with the state government.
“Until the government gives a clear answer and restores the original purpose of the Facilitation Centre, the KSU will continue to stop the construction work,” Kharkamni asserted.
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