Meghalaya - The Purbottar

08 May

Meghalaya Govt Says Monitoring Illegal Coal Mining Difficult Due to Numerous Mines

riya EditorMeghalaya

The Meghalaya government has acknowledged that the massive scale of coal mining operations in the state, particularly in East Jaintia Hills, has made effective monitoring and enforcement against illegal mining extremely challenging. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the 37th Interim Report of the Justice (Retd.) B.P. Katakey Committee had pointed out continued illegal coal extraction and transportation despite court restrictions. However, he maintained that the government remains committed to implementing all court directives. “The report itself mentions that East Jaintia Hills alone has around 22,000 mines. This makes continuous monitoring extremely difficult with the existing manpower and administrative setup,”…

06 May

CM Sangma Announces Infrastructure Overhaul to Elevate Meghalaya on the Global Tourism Map

nanika EditorMeghalaya

In a major move to solidify its position as a premier travel destination, the Meghalaya government has unveiled a comprehensive suite of initiatives aimed at expanding community-led tourism and boosting youth employment. During a “Tourism Champions” event held at the Orchid Lake Resort in Umiam, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Tourism Minister Timothy D. Shira detailed a multi-pronged strategy to transform the state’s hospitality landscape. Central to this push is the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission. The government handed out sanction letters to the inaugural batch of applicants, marking the start of an ambitious journey to establish 3,000 new…

29 Apr

Guwahati woman found safe after disappearance, says solo trip to Shillong was driven by emotional distress

Sonakshi SarkarMeghalaya

A woman from Guwahati whose disappearance had sparked concern across social media and among residents over the last two days has returned home safely and revealed that she had travelled to Shillong with thoughts of ending her life. Bhabana Sarma broke her silence nearly 48 hours after she went missing by posting a video message on social media, where she explained the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and denied rumours that had circulated online during the search for her. In the video statement, she said no outsider or cab driver was involved in her disappearance and clarified that she had travelled…

23 Feb

Over Rs 4 Crore Dispute Pushes Mawkhar Presbyterian Church into Crisis

nanika EditorMeghalaya

The Mawkhar Presbyterian Church is grappling with one of the most serious crises in its history following alleged financial irregularities exceeding Rs 4 crore, leading to a sharp fallout with the KJP Synod Sepngi.The controversy began after discrepancies were found in church accounts for the financial years 2016–2019. A reconciliation process in June 2019 revealed inconsistencies between cash records and bank deposits. Initial verification of documents—including cash books, passbooks, deposit slips, and SBI Bara Bazar Branch statements—showed a shortfall of around Rs 2.86 crore.Further disclosures indicated that a portion of the discrepancy had reportedly been known since 2017 during an…

03 Dec

Conrad Hits Back At State Cong Chief Over Remark On New Regional Front

Sonakshi SarkarMeghalaya

In a sharp riposte to Meghalaya Congress chief Vincent H. Pala’s remark on regional front “One North East” as nothing but a BJP-RSS plan, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday hit back, alleging that the Opposition party was ‘already’ a divided house, and hence need not be further divided. “Nobody needs to work to divide them as Congress is already a divided house,” Sangma stated. The Chief Minister also said that as “One North East”, they are not here to fight against or oppose anyone since the front is here from a positive perspective of unification and to…

02 Dec

Border Fencing Work Gains Momentum, Target Set for Completion by 2026

Sonakshi SarkarMeghalaya

After a lengthy period of interruptions lasting nearly two decades, fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya is now progressing significantly. The Border Security Force (BSF) is optimistic that the entire 443-km stretch will be completed by the end of 2026, representing a crucial step in bolstering border security. Inspector General (IG) Upadhyay reported that approximately 20 km of fencing was finalized and made operational in the previous year. However, this progress has been hindered by various challenges, including ongoing legal disputes, objections from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and pushback from local communities. Despite these barriers, the BSF has…

26 Nov

Night Curfew Imposed Along Bangladesh Border In Meghalaya District

Sonakshi SarkarENVIORMENT, Meghalaya

Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district administration has imposed a night curfew along the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border in the district to prevent entry of unwanted elements from across the border in view of the current situation in the neighbouring country. An order issued by District Magistrate Rosetta Mary Kurbah noted that the situation across the border has increased the likelihood of movement by unwanted elements, including members of proscribed militant groups, smugglers, and others involved in illegal activities. The administration stated that several portions of the border in East Khasi Hills remain porous and prone to infiltration by illegal migrants and individuals…

07 Nov

Nongstoin MCH Hospital to be inaugurated before Christmas

Mohini BarmanMeghalaya

As committed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad. K Sangma during the previously held CM-Connect programme at Nongstoin, the upgradation and operationalisation of the Maternal & Child Health (MCH) Hospital will be completed before Christmas. To move this commitment into execution, a spot review of the soon-to-be operational facility was conducted on Nov 6, 2025, led by Shri Sampath Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, with senior officials from DHS(MCH&FW), the district administration, and the health department. The review team consisted of Dr. (Mrs.) N. Kharsohnoh, Director of Health Services (MCH & FW); Dr. E. War, Joint Director…

19 Jul

Gorkhas to get multipurpose hall, handloom hub in Assam

Sonakshi SarkarMeghalaya

Chairman of the Gorkha Development Council (GDC), Prem Tamang said that two important facilities, a Gorkha Multipurpose Complex Hall and a Gorkha Handloom Centre will soon be set up for the benefit of the community.Speaking exclusively to Echo of India, Tamang said that these projects are part of his long-term vision to serve the Gorkhas of Assam, a community he deeply cares for and feels responsible towards.Prem Tamang, who has been at the helm of the GDC since 2020, said that it is his “sole duty and responsibility” to work for the welfare of the Gorkhas of Assam. He believes…

17 Dec

In West Garo Hills, Meghalaya police seize fifteen overloaded Bhutanese trucks

Banasree SarkarMeghalayaMeghalaya police

Meghalaya Police stopped and arrested at least 15 Bhutanese vehicles for transporting too much cargo close to Rongsai in the West Garo Hills area. These cars were on their way to export boulders to Bangladesh. The regular weight violations by Bhutanese trucks, which frequently surpass 40–50 metric tonnes, have alarmed the locals. These vehicles kept overloading in spite of many warnings, seriously damaging infrastructure and roadways. A bridge at Hallidayganj broke recently as a result of the vehicles' excessive weight, highlighting the seriousness of the problem. The administration then temporarily stopped exporting goods via the AMPT road. But when the…