SHILLONG, SEPT 28: Sixteen years after they were sanctioned, three polytechnic colleges in Meghalaya are still not functional, prompting the Assembly’s Estimate Committee to pull up the Education department.

The committee headed by Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem on Monday reviewed the status of the institutes located at Nongkrah in Ri-Bhoi, Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills and Gasuapara in South Garo Hills.

Speaking to reporters, Syiem said, “We held a review meeting with the Education department on the progress of the three polytechnics.”

He said these projects were sanctioned in 2009 by the then Union Ministry of Human Resource Development.

“Funds have been released but only the administrative block and a few classrooms have been completed so far. That is why we followed up the matter and reviewed both physical and financial progress,” Syiem said.

He informed that two of the three projects are nearing completion.

“The polytechnics in Nongpoh and Nongstoin are almost 100 per cent complete. The PWD (Building) will hand over the buildings to the Education department, which will then move for water supply, power supply and creation of posts. The matter has been taken up with Planning and Finance departments,” he said.

The Gasuapara project, however, remains a concern.

“For Gasuapara, only 64 to 65 per cent of civil work has been completed. We have asked the department to expedite the work in the interest of students,” Syiem said.

On the reason behind the delay, the committee chairman said the department cited land-related hurdles in the initial stage.

“Public money has been earmarked for this purpose and the work must be completed in due course of time, at the earliest,” he added.