July 30, 2004

Shillong, July 30, 2004: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Dr D D Lapang today inaugurated a Workshop on Capacity Building for members of the Autonomous District Councils of the State, sponsored by the Department of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) at the NEHU Administrative Building conference hall, Umshing, Shillong.

While speaking on the occasion, Dr Lapang said that the workshop is a collaborative effort of the DONER, Government of India, NEHU and the three autonomous district councils of the State which deserve appreciation as the objective of the workshop is to enlighten and equip the members of the Autonomous District Councils to be capable of functioning as members of the councils.

Dr Lapang said that the workshop, being the first of its kind in the region, will deliberate thoroughly on the issue of strengthening of the District Councils. He urged the members of the ADCs and Officers of the councils, who are participating in the workshop, to take full advantage of the interaction and positively contribute towards the strengthening of the Autonomous District Councils.

Others who spoke on the occasion were the KHADC CEM, Mr Prestone Tynsong, JHADC CEM, Mr Moonlight Pariat and the Vice-Chancellor NEHU, Prof. M.Miri. The inaugural function was presided over by Prof. D.R Syiemlieh of NEHU.

Shillong, July 22, 2004: The Election Commission of India has ordered for the intensive revision of Electoral Rolls of all the Assembly Constituencies in the State with reference to January 1, 2005 as the qualifying date. This was informed by the Chief Electoral Officer, Meghalaya, Shillong.

A person who is an ordinary resident of the State who has attained 18 years of age as on January 1, 2005, is eligible to be enrolled in the Electoral Rolls. The preparation of Electoral Rolls will be conducted from September 1 to October 4, 2004. The house to house enumeration will be conducted from October 5 to November 19, 2004. Preparation and comparison of manuscript with relevant parts of the previous Electoral Rolls of 2004, data entry of new electors and carrying out corrections wherever necessary, in respect of electors already included in the data based, generation of check list and printing of draft roll and supply of electoral rolls and Forms 6, 7, 8 and 9 to area Post Offices will be conducted from November 20 to December 20, 2004. Draft publication of rolls will be on December 21, 2004. Filing of claims and objections and reading of relevant part/section of electoral rolls in Gram Sabha/Urban Local Bodies and Resident Welfare Association Meetings etc., will be conducted between December 22, 2004 and January 24, 2005. Claims and objections will be disposed by February 21, 2005. Preparation and printing of supplements of additions, deletions and corrections will take place on March 15, 2005 and the final publication of electoral rolls will be on March 21, 2005.

All those who have received the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) are required to preserve the cards and to produce during the house to house enumeration as the EPIC serial number will be entered along with the name of the electors.

All political parties, public leaders, local leaders, Syiems, Sirdars, Dolois, Headmen, Goanburas, Nokmas, Local Dorbars/Organisations are requested to extend their full cooperation in this regard and to bring any defect notice in the electoral rolls to the notice of the Electoral Registration Officer/Assistant Electoral Registration Officer in time.

Shillong, July 30, 2004: The Lok Adalat, organised by the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority, was held at Marian Hill High School, Jowai, on Saturday last, in which Mr. D Kharshiing, MLA, was the Chief Guest. In this regard, a meeting was held under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, Jaintia Hills District, Mrs. L Kharkongor.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Kharshiing said that the main objective of holding this Lok Adalat is to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society and to ensure securities in the settlement of long pending cases resulting from concurrent offences such as land disputes etc. Stating that Lok Adalat is a unique court where cases are solved through compromises, he called upon the conciliators to discharge their duties with a spirit of responsibility, persuasion and wisdom. He also urged upon litigants to display their spirit of love, generosity and forgiveness so that their cases could be disposed off easily.

It may mentioned that out of 506 cases, 167 cases were settled in this Lok Adalat.

Shillong, July 30, 2004: The Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, Shillong has informed that the Padma Awards, namely, Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service, Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order and Padma Shri for distinguished service, will be announced by the Government of India on the eve of Republic Day, 2005.

Nominations in respect of persons from East Khasi District should be sent to the office of the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills District, Shillong on or before August 25, 2004, giving in details name, date of birth and age, place of birth, postal address, religion, whether belong to ST/SC/OBC, profession or occupation, field of activity, Padma Award for which his/her name is recommended, name of the Padma Award conferred, if any, in the past, whether his/her name was earlier recommended for any of the Padma Award, and if so, name of the Award. Two copies of citation nicely type in not more than two pages should also be sent for the nomination.

All Indian citizen or either sex including persons belonging to the SC/ST/OBC, weaker sections and also handicapped persons are eligible for the Awards.

Further details can be had from the office of the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, Shillong during office hours.

Shillong, July 30, 2004: The Deputy Commissioner, Ri Bhoi District has informed that a meeting of the Regional Transport Authority Board, Nongpoh, will be held on August 10, 2004 at 11:00 A.M. in the office chamber of the Deputy Commissioner and Chairman Regional Transport Authority Board, Nongpoh for consideration of issuing periodic permit for those applicants who could not attend the last RTA Board meeting held on May 28, 2004. The applicants are requested to be present on the above mentioned date and time for consideration of their application.

Shillong, July 30, 2004: The Deputy Commissioner, Ri Bhoi District, who is also the Chairman of the District Water and Sanitation Committee (DWSC), informed that on the transition of the earlier Central Government sponsored Water Supply Scheme under the Pilot Reform Project into the Swajaldhara, having a similar term of implementation on cost sharing basis, the Swajaldhara II would be launched soon in the District in which the surveying work for identification and selection of villages on population criteria, formulation of project and forming of DWSM are being done towards the implementation of the scheme.

He therefore called upon for the cooperation of the people and the Headmen for the smooth implementation of the scheme for their benefit.

Shillong, July 30, 2004: Vanamahotsava was celebrated at Mawthawpdah Upper Primary School on July 28, 2004 and at St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School Rangblang on July 29, 2004, where the Chief Guests were Mr. B B Nongsiej, MLA and Mr. D K Dkhar, Deputy Commissioner, West Khasi Hills, Nongstoin respectively.

It may be mentioned that the celebration was organised by the Divisional Forest Officer, Social Forestry Division, Nongstoin, in collaboration with Shiliang Um Rilang Upper Primary School Sports Association and Meghalaya Environment Protection Front. More than 10 local schools participated in the programme which include Quiz, Essay competition and tree planting programme.

Expressing his appreciation to the participating students who have come from distant villages, Mr. B B Nongsiej, while speaking as the Chief Guest at Mawthawpdah, said that it indicates the keenness of the students to preserve the beauty of nature which surrounds them. He then urged upon the students to inculcate the spirit of competition in order to be at par with other students of the country.

The Deputy Commissioner, West Khasi Hills District, Mr. D K Dkhar, while speaking at Rangblang as the Chief Guest, expressed his opinion that students are the right agents for spreading the message of the urgent need to preserve the environment. If a person is properly guided right from his tender age, he will ultimately grow up as a person who love nature and care for the welfare of other living beings, he added.

At Mawthawpdah, the function was presided over by the Divisional Forest Officer, Social Forestry Division, West Khasi Hills while at Rangblang it was presided over by the Divisional Forest Officer.

Others who spoke on the occasion were Mr. R Syiem, District Agricultural Officer, Syiem of Nobosohphoh, Mr. P Marwein and Mr. V Thyrniang.