Shillong, June 3 – The Meghalaya government has decided to restart economic activities along the international border with Bangladesh from June 8, but border haats would continue to remain closed.

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday said,“We have decided to allow re-opening of export and import activities from Monday onwards in line with the central government’s decision.”

However, border haats will continue to remain closed until further order.

Furthermore, he informed that the government also decided to allow 50 percent of the shopping complexes to open on a rotational basis from June 8.

“We have entrusted the respective Deputy Commissioners to work out the modalities to ensure SOPs and protocols issued by the Health Department are strictly followed,” Tynsong said

However, barber shops, saloons and beauty parlours will continue to remain closed until further orders.

Meanwhile, the government has urged private firms and employers to hire skilled labourers from amongst the returnees who have been trained in trades required by them.

“Kindly engage first those local people within the State if they possess special qualifications,” Tynsong told reporters during his daily briefing.

He said the decision was taken after various pressure groups and organisations opposed the government’s intention to hire highly skilled labourers from outside the State citing the COVID-19 situation in the country.

“We have seen various groups expressing their concern even though the government has taken serious note of this and hence the decision,” Tynsong said.

He said that the Labour Department under the Directorate of Craftsmen and Training will issue a notification requesting private firms and contractors who require persons with specialised jobs to give first preference to returnees who have been trained.