SHILLONG:
BJP MLA AL Hek raised concern that the construction of a shopping mall at the MTC office premises was at an exorbitant rate of around Rs 219 crore for 50,000 sqft of land.
Speaking to reporters on October 22, he said the estimated cost of Rs 219 crore is too high for a small plot of land although he refused to comment on the alleged irregularities until and unless it is completed.
“I am also part of the government, instead of constructing one shopping mall after the other, we should concentrate on traffic congestion which is one of the major issues. People are having mental illness because of traffic congestion in the state,” he said.
Commenting on the shortage of doctors and specialists, the former Health and Family Welfare Minister said, “When we can allot land to the IAS/IPS, those who are not entitled to get land in Meghalaya as per Land Transfer Act, why not apply the same methods to our doctors also to retain them. We need the doctors here permanently but IAS/IPS officers come and go.”
He expressed concern that almost all the specialists have left Meghalaya because the government is not giving the same facilities which are received by doctors working outside Meghalaya.
Hek said that he has received complaints from people on the current functioning of the department but maintained that it is up to the people to judge whether the facilities are given or not to the patients.