June 17, 2021 - Shillongtoday

East Khasi Hills DC emphasises on importance of vaccination in meet with commercial vehicle drivers

June 17, 2021 Shillong Today

Shillong, Jun 17: East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Isawanda Laloo has emphasised on the importance of vaccination against Covid-19 during a meeting with representatives of commercial vehicles associations on Thursday.

The meeting, which was attended by District Transport Officer, other officials and members of different local taxi, auto rickshaw and bus associations, discussed at length the importance of vaccination for drivers who are dealing and interacting with many members of the public on a daily basis, and for the need to safeguard their health and that of their families.

“Clarifications on this matter were also imparted by the district medical and health officer and his team and an interactive session was held to address the concerns regarding vaccination,” an official statement said.

“The deputy commissioner apprised the associations that even if vehicles are permitted, there is need to continue regulation by allowing only certain percentage of the commercial vehicles to ply either by using numbering arrangement or the odd-even formulas to which the associations were in agreement,” a statement stated.

Meanwhile, the domestic workers under the banner of the All Meghalaya Domestic Workers’ Union (AMDWU) on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking vaccination against COVID-19 on a priority basis.

The AMDWU also staged a poster campaign at IGP near the main secretariat to impress on the State government seeking COVID-19 vaccine on priority basis.

“As domestic workers are a population at risk, prioritise the COVID-19 vaccination so that they may continue to work without fear and harassment,” AMDWU president, B Kharmudai wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on occasion of 10th anniversary of adoption of the ILO Convention 189, concerning ‘Decent Work for Domestic Workers’ on June 16.

“The majority of domestic workers are women and also single mothers so this is the only work that provides them with a livelihood, yet they have neither recognition now protection as workers,” the Union wrote to the PM on International Domestic Workers Day.

“During this pandemic, which is over 15 months now, they have suffered badly as employers kept them at a distance for fear of the virus. The majority of them lost wages. Those that did permit them to work, demanded more work and paid less while they had to spend more money to get to work as there was no public transport for several weeks. Living in poor habitation areas, they have had to continue to pay rents and repay loans and have been harassed for not doing so,” the letter stated even as it appealed to the Prime Minister to pay heed to the protection of vulnerable domestic workers.

Pala demands independent inquiry into alleged rice scam

June 17, 2021 Shillong Today

Shillong, Jun 17: Opposition Congress Lok Sabha Member of Parliament, Vincent H. Pala on Thursday demanded an independent inquiry into the alleged “rice scam”, where Assam police had seized one lakh bags of rice from a godown at Boko in Assam’s Kamrup district.

The veteran Congress parliamentarian voiced surprise in the stoic silence of United Democratic Party (UDP), a key partner of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government in the alleged “rice scam”.

“The UDP is very active and demands for an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the MeECL (Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited). Why are they not demanding a probe into this matter, especially dealing with the poor people,” Pala told reporters.

“The UDP must demand for an enquiry and come clean on the issue because the portfolio (Social Welfare) is being handled by the UDP,” he said.

“People like Metbah Lyngdoh and Jemino Mawthoh had demanded an enquiry into the alleged irregularities in the MeECL. But why is the UDP now silent,” the Lok Sabha member from Shillong parliamentary seat, said.

Taking potshots at the National People’s Party (NPP) led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, Pala asked, “NPP told us please eat only rice and vegetables. Now if you don’t get the rice, then what’s left only is vegetables, how will our people survive.”

Pala was referring to Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong’s comment that people should do with rice and vegetables and not aspire for meat during the pandemic.

The MP questioned that if the government has lifted the quota from FCI and as usual got allotment from the Centre, how was the allotment of rice utilised since schools, where mid-day meals are served are currently closed.

“Where this rice has been utilised, the government should tell the people,” the MP asserted and said excess rice could have been “misused” since schools are closed.

“I don’t know, that inquiry will tell,” he said, adding that the “scam is huge. You are dealing with poor people,” he said, adding that people have lost confidence and trust in the government and that it should set up an inquiry to come out clean on the issue.

COVID 19 UPDATES: Meghalaya records 478 new positive cases, 329 recovers

June 17, 2021 Shillong Today

‘Covid-19 cases in the state could be upto 25 times the numbers recorded’

Shillong, June 17: Meghalaya on Thursday registered 478 new COVID-19 cases, which pushed the tally of active cases to 4,609, the health department said in a bulletin.

Meanwhile, the state also records 329 new recovered cases in last 24 hours, with this the total recovered cases reaches 38,361.

04 more succumbs to the infections in last 24 hours, taking total number of fatalities from COVID-19 infection to 762 so far.