SHILLONG:
Leader of Opposition Ronnie V Lyngdoh has asserted that existing laws aimed at keeping illegal immigration at bay must be implemented in letter and spirit while waiting for the inner line permit (ILP) regime to set foot in the state.
According to him, there is need to implement the existing laws like the Land Transfer Act, Trading by Non-Tribal Regulations Act, Labour Act etc in letter and spirit to prevent influx of outsiders into the state.
He was reacting to the Centre’s delay to examine the resolution on ILP passed by the state Assembly in 2019 and the recent decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs to return the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Both ILP and MRSSAB are considered effective mechanisms to check influx into the state.
“I will be very happy if ILP is implemented in our state…but if it doesn’t come, we cannot wait for ILP for eternity (in order to protect the indigenous community of the state),” Lyngdoh told reporters.
He said, therefore, there is need for the government, people in authority and the traditional institutions to ensure existing laws are implemented in letter and spirit.
“It is the duty of everyone as it is not only the duty of the government or duty of the opposition to raise this issue,” Lyngdoh said adding “If all are concerned be it government or be it people in authority or traditional institutions, they should not allow violation of the Land Transfer Act so that our land is not alienated.”
 “If MRSSA (passed in 2016) is implemented, I am sure this will also ensure that immigration or other influx doesn’t become a big issue…We have the labour permit, if everybody wants to work here and they are from outside the state, they have to obtain the permission. We also have the Trading by Non-Tribal Act. If that also is implemented in letter and spirit, I am sure we can prevent influx from outside the state. The dorbar shnong, the local authority, the Syiems, the Himas should not give NOCs to anyone and everyone if we already have our own people doing similar types of businesses,” he added further.
 The Mylliem legislator said that “Now we have all these laws in place, ensure all these laws that are in place are implemented in letter and spirit, I am sure we need not worry much about this issue (of influx).”
  “The only loophole where influx can take place is when people come and stay as tenants and if this is implemented then we already have laws in place to protect from the problem of influx”.
To a question, Lyngdoh further maintained that if these existing laws are fully implemented, people will have no reason to be concerned about the coming of railway projects to the Khasi Jaintia Hills region.
“The fear of all sections of society is that if railway comes there will be influx, but I think if these laws are enacted in letter and spirit we need not fear because nobody can just come here and then jump off from the train and reside in a particular locality and a particular village but if these laws are enacted in letter and spirit, I think we can always catch anybody who has come illegally – that is the point but then yes I understand the fear of certain sections of the society, but then we have to balance,” he said adding that if the region has railway, transport cost for exporting the Khasi Mandarin would have come down and it would have benefited the farmers to a large extent.
“Again, for example food grains and building materials and so many things that come from outside the state, if you have the railway I am sure the cost of transport will be reduced and it will help the people of the state, the economy of the state instead of outflow of capital from our state, it will be minimised,” he added.