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Articles by Manosh Das
Meghalaya files FIR against KHADC inspector for sealing ropeway project site
Shillong: Meghalaya govt has filed an FIR against a Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council inspector for allegedly sealing the proposed Shillong Peak Ropeway’s lower terminal site at Lawsohtun. Tourism commissioner and secretary RM Kurbah said the complaint was filed at Laban police station after the site was locked on Tuesday. No arrest has been made, and police are investigating, she said. Kurbah said the land belonged to govt and work was limited to preparations.
Meghalaya seeks to boost Bangladesh trade through new customs stations
Shillong: Meghalaya has proposed a new Land Customs Station at Umkiang and upgrades for five others to boost trade with Bangladesh. Deputy chief minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, who holds the commerce and industries portfolio, highlighted the state’s strategic location and the importance of the Dawki-Tamabil Integrated Check Post at a state-level outreach programme in Shillong on Thursday.
MLA Lyngdoh seeks stronger ties between Meghalaya, TN
Shillong: Meghalaya MLA and deputy chief whip of the state legislative assembly Ronnie V Lyngdoh called for greater cooperation between Meghalaya and Tamil Nadu at the concluding session of the Legislators’ Leadership Programme in Mahabalipuram, Chennai, on Wednesday. Lyngdoh said Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, in collaboration with the Meghalaya Legislative Research Forum, should consider hosting a similar programme in the state.
Dark stretches of Guwahati-Shillong highway to get lights soon
Shillong: Dark stretches along the Guwahati-Shillong Highway-6, earlier known as NH-40, will soon be illuminated, with existing street lights at several locations set to become operational. The highway runs from Guwahati through Jorabat, Nongpoh and Barapani, also known as Umiam Lake, to Shillong. It is regarded as one of the busiest and most strategically important inter-city routes in the northeast.
‘It’s OK to get tested’: Meghalaya CM calls for end to HIV stigma Original
Shillong: With Meghalaya facing one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the country, the state govt has committed Rs 25 crore over the next five years to its HIV/AIDS mission, CM Conrad K Sangma said on Tuesday. Sangma was speaking at the State Red Ribbon Youth Festival 2026 and Samman Samaroh award ceremony organised by the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS) in Shillong. “Our message to the youth is simple. It is OK to get tested. It is OK to seek treatment. It is OK to ask for help.
Meghala SIR: Female voters outnumber males in final rolls
Shillong: Meghalaya’s final electoral rolls, published on Monday after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, list 21,83,963 electors — a net increase of 14,720, or around 0.68%, from the draft electoral rolls. The rolls include 11,24,216 female electors and 10,59,743 male electors. Four electors are registered under the third-gender category. The final rolls have a gender ratio of 1,061 and an elector-population ratio of 606.
Women bikers ride to raise awareness on sexual harassment
Shillong: Milady’Squad MC, an all-woman motorcycle club based in Shillong, organised a ‘Ride Against Molestation’ on Sunday to raise awareness about sexual harassment and promote women’s safety and dignity. Fifteen women bikers, including seven club members and eight guests, rode from Shillong Club to the Umling toll gate before returning to the city. The event was part of a pan-India campaign organised by independent riders.
Meghalaya’s millet revival efforts earn PM’s praise in Mann Ki Baat
Shillong: Meghalaya farmers are returning to millet cultivation as women entrepreneurs turn the traditional grain into marketable food products, a revival that has won praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi . In his 139th Mann Ki Baat episode on Akashvani on Sunday, Modi highlighted efforts in Khanduli village in West Jaintia Hills, where millets have been part of the food culture for generations.
Garo Hills village preserves traditions with Wangala celebrations
Shillong: Wangala, the A’chik community’s harvest festival, began in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills on Saturday, with Sadolpara village preserving its traditional rituals. Celebrated by the indigenous Songsarek community, the festival unfolds in three phases. Preparations begin with the Nokma, or village headman, announcing the date, cleaning roads and houses, and brewing rice beer from the new harvest. The first day, known as ‘Rugala’ or ‘Chu-Rugala’, is marked by a ritual at the Nokma’s house.
NPP strength rises to 36 in Meghalaya assembly after merger of three UDP MLAs
Shillong: National People’s Party (NPP), which leads the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) govt, has strengthened its position in the assembly after three United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators merged with it. NPP’s strength in the 60-member assembly has risen from 33 to 36. The party is led by chief minister Conrad K Sangma, who is also its national president.
Meghalaya tourism dept allays concerns over Shillong Peak Ropeway
Shillong: Meghalaya’s tourism department held a stakeholders’ meeting to clarify concerns over the proposed Shillong Peak Ropeway Project’s impact on the Lum Shillong catchment. The meeting, chaired by tourism commissioner and secretary R M Kurbah, was attended by officials from various departments, members of the Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun and representatives of the Joint Action Committee. The meeting was held on Thursday.
Meghalya CM addresses SPARK summit in Tura
Shillong: Students from across Meghalaya attended the SPARK Meghalaya State Summit ’26 in Tura on Friday. The School Programmes for Articulation, Resilience and Kindness (SPARK) summit was organised by the state education department and attended by CM Conrad K Sangma as chief guest. Addressing the students, Sangma recalled last year’s summit in Shillong and said he had suggested holding this year’s event in Tura.
Meghalaya spends Rs 4k-cr annually on education: CM
Shillong: Meghalaya spends Rs 4,000 crore annually on education, CM Conrad K Sangma said on Thursday. He was speaking after inaugurating the renovated building of Rimrangpara Higher Secondary School in West Garo Hills. The project cost Rs 14 lakh and was funded through CM’s Special Development Fund. His wife and Gambegre MLA Mehtab Chandee A Sangma were present.
Petrol-bomb attacks near pandals fail to dampen Shillong’s Durga Puja celebrations
Shillong: Durga Puja celebrations remained grand and enthusiastic across Meghalaya despite a series of petrol-bomb attacks near govt offices and puja pandals in Shillong. Security was tightened after a petrol bomb was hurled outside Mawbah Durga Puja pandal on Saturday and an attempt was made to set fire to the welcome gate of Kench’s Trace Puja Committee in Laban early on Monday.
For 95 years, Durga Puja at Shella keeps tradition of cultural harmony alive
Shillong: The heritage Durga Puja at Shella, a tribal hamlet on the southern slopes of Meghalaya’s Khasi Hills near the India-Bangladesh border, is being organised by one of the oldest Ramakrishna Mission centres in the northeast, continuing a tradition of cultural harmony that began in 1931. Records show that Shella was the first among all Ramakrishna Mission ashramas in the northeast to observe Durga Puja. The hamlet, on the banks of a rivulet, is about 45 km from Sohra (Cherrapunji).
Meghalaya speaker recognises merger of UDP MLAs with BJP
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Drums from the plains echo through Meghalaya hills
Shillong: As Durga Puja approaches, ‘dhakis’ from the plains return to Meghalaya, their drums marking the festival’s arrival in the hills. They travel from other parts of the northeast and West Bengal to perform during the celebrations. “The dhakis, who are the most integral part of the pujas, have to be hired from outside as we do not have traditional dhakis in the hills of the northeast region, except in Tripura and Assam,” said a senior member of a city puja committee.
Meghalaya starts drive against child sexual offences
Shillong: To prevent offences against children and raise awareness about the Pocso Act , the Meghalaya state legal services authority and district legal services authority, East Khasi Hills, in collaboration with the state govt, launched ‘Ka Jingkyrmen (Hope)’ on Tuesday. Chief Justice of Meghalaya high court Revati Mohite Dere said many young people remained unaware of the legal consequences of engaging in sexual activity with persons below 18 years of age.
Awaiting legal opinions on 8 UDP MLAs’ BJP switch: Speaker
Shillong: Meghalaya assembly speaker Thomas A Sangma said on Tuesday that the proposed merger of eight UDP MLAs with BJP remained under examination. Speaking after meeting the legislators, Sangma said his office had not “formally recognised” them as BJP MLAs and was awaiting legal opinions and completion of procedural requirements. “The speaker’s office is still examining it, and I am awaiting legal opinions from different sources.
Additional forces, mobile patrols planned in Shillong
Shillong: Security will be tightened in Shillong before and during Durga Puja to ensure peaceful celebrations. East Khasi Hills district superintendent of police Vivek Syiem said police would seek additional state forces for the festive period. Round-the-clock mobile patrolling and tactical team deployments will be carried out across the city, particularly around puja pandals and other crowded locations. Central Reserve Police Force will also assist the state police in maintaining vigilance.
₹1.5 crore heroin seized from ambulance in Meghalaya; four held
Shillong: East Jaintia Hills district police seized suspected heroin worth around ₹1.5 crore from an ambulance and arrested four people from Assam during a naka check early Monday.
Mini secretariat to come up in Ri-Bhoi district
Shillong: A mini secretariat will be established at Patharkhmah in Ri-Bhoi district to bring govt offices and services closer to residents, CM Conrad K Sangma said on Monday. Sangma laid the foundation stone for the facility at the Western Ri-Bhoi Football Ground. The mini secretariat will bring the offices of the Patharkhmah Civil Sub-Division together on a single campus, enabling residents to complete related work without travelling between different offices.
Centre, Meghalaya assess revival of small-scale coal mining
Shillong: A technical team from the Union ministry of coal, accompanied by officials of the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Ltd (CMPDI), the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) and Meghalaya’s Directorate of Mineral Resources, inspected coal-bearing areas in East Jaintia Hills and Khasi Hills last week to assess the feasibility of restarting small-scale coal mining in the state.
NEEPCO records highest-ever profit of Rs 769 crore in 2025-26
Shillong: The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) recorded its highest-ever profit after tax of Rs 769.08 crore in 2025-26, the public sector power utility said on Friday. NEEPCO has an installed capacity of 2,051 MW in the northeast, comprising 1,519 MW of hydropower, 527 MW of gas-based power and 5 MW of solar power. Citing National Power Portal data, it said this is about 32.6% of the region’s total installed capacity of 6,298 MW.
Judicial academy holds clean-air outreach in polluted Byrnihat
Shillong: Meghalaya State Judicial Academy (MSJA), under the aegis of the High Court of Meghalaya, organised a one-day outreach programme on the “Right to Clean Air: From Statistics to Action” amid growing concerns over air pollution in Byrnihat Circle. The programme, held at the Multipurpose Hall in Byrnihat on Friday, was organised in collaboration with the office of the block development officer, Umling community and rural development block, Ri-Bhoi district.
IFAD chief flags off Meghalaya turmeric to Singapore
Shillong: International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) president Álvaro Lario on Friday flagged off a consignment of fresh Megha-1 turmeric from Bhoirymbong in Ri-Bhoi district for export to Singapore. Lario is on an official visit to Meghalaya to review the grassroots progress of the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project (Megha-LAMP).
Shillong Puja committees receive emergency response training
Shillong: The East Khasi Hills District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) held a safety training programme for Durga Puja committee representatives and volunteers on Friday. The programme was held at the Meghalaya Bharat Scouts & Guides premises ahead of the festivities. “The programme aimed to strengthen safety, preparedness and coordinated emergency response during the festivities,” a DDMA statement said.
2 held in Shillong for smuggling stolen bikes to B’desh
Shillong: Meghalaya Police have arrested two bike lifters from Shillong, who were involved in smuggling stolen two-wheelers to Bangladesh, officials said on Thursday. The arrests followed a complaint filed at Lumdiengjri police station about the theft of a motorcycle from Riatsamthiah Block-II. Police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and launched an investigation.
Faculty shortage delays launch of Tura Medical College, govt shifts focus to civil hosp
Shillong: A faculty shortage has delayed the launch of the first academic session at Tura Medical College, which is nearly 95% complete. The state govt has not yet finalised the launch date because the college lacks adequate qualified staff. Joram Beda, commissioner and secretary of the health and family welfare department, recently reviewed the college’s operationalisation status and identified the faculty shortage as the main obstacle.
All 33 NPP MLAs rally behind Sangma amid BJP buzz
Shillong: All 33 National People’s Party (NPP) legislators attended a meeting at CM Conrad K Sangma’s residence in Shillong on Tuesday night, amid speculation that some party MLAs might join BJP . NPP, which leads the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA)-2.0, has 33 members in the 60-member Assembly. “MDA-2.0 government is very stable. NPP on its own has 33 MLAs who are absolutely intact, and we also have our coalition partners,” Sangma said.
Garo Hills council term extended by six months
Shillong: Meghalaya cabinet on Wednesday approved a further six-month extension of the term of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) to facilitate the conduct of elections. “The extension is necessitated by the ongoing delimitation and electoral revision processes. The previous six-month extension is due to end on Oct 17,” CM Conrad K Sangma said after the cabinet meeting.
NEHU hosts climate festival, highlighting India’s diverse ecosystems
Shillong: A travelling climate festival opened at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) on Monday, bringing art, science and youth research together. The event will continue at the campus till Oct 9. Organised by Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, with NEHU’s department of geography, the festival aims to make climate science accessible while highlighting India’s diverse ecosystems. The five-day event brings together schools, colleges and local organisations from Shillong and nearby areas.
1,510 Meghalaya voters found ‘ineligible’ post-SIR
Shillong: Meghalaya has found 1,510 electors ineligible for inclusion in the final electoral roll, while 19,96,297 electors have been cleared for publication, chief electoral officer BDR Tiwari said on Tuesday. The final roll is scheduled for publication on Oct 26, 2026, under Election Commission of India ’s revised schedule. Tiwari reviewed the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 and also met representatives of national and state political parties.
Meghalaya pushes AI, aviation & healthcare skills for unemployed rural youths
Shillong: Meghalaya govt has called for greater focus on “future-ready skills” in sectors such as AI, aviation, management, hospitality, healthcare, beauty and textiles for unemployed youth in rural areas of the northeast. “The Integrated Kaushal Rural Portal should function as a dynamic tool for identifying delays, tracking dropouts and addressing placement bottlenecks in real time,” said Sosthenes Sohtun, minister for community and rural development.
NEC’s over Rs 42cr funding push targets infra, culture & livelihoods in NE
Shillong: North Eastern Council (NEC), Shillong, released Rs 42.63 crore in Sept to support development projects across the northeast, an NEC statement said. Of the total, Rs 35.21 crore was allocated to northeast states, while Rs 7.42 crore was released to regional institutions and agencies for capacity building, infrastructure and technology.
Don’t politicise child’s death, Meghalaya deputy CM tells Oppn
Shillong: Meghalaya deputy CM and PWD (Roads) minister Prestone Tynsong has urged the Opposition not to “politicize” the death of a three-year-old boy who was carried by his parents on foot for treatment in West Khasi Hills. The child, Habankyrshan Marbaniang, reportedly died in his mother’s arms on Oct 1 after his parents, unable to find a vehicle in their village, walked around 10 km to Mawdet to look for transport to the nearest health sub-centre.
3-year-old dies in mother’s arms as parents walk 10 km seeking treatment in Meghalaya
Shillong: A three-year-old boy died in his mother’s arms after his parents were forced to walk nearly 10 km from their remote village in Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills district in search of medical transport, prompting the district administration to seek official reports and order a field inspection. Habankyrshan Marbaniang’s parents reportedly set out on foot from Domkyrkoh village on Oct 1 after failing to find a vehicle to take their ailing child to Mawdet.
Nehu mulls ‘Centre for Indo-Thai Collaboration’
Shillong: The North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has proposed the establishment of an umbrella centre at its Shillong campus, to be known as the ‘Centre for Indo–Thai Collaboration’, to serve as a common platform for promoting and coordinating academic and research partnerships between NEHU and Thai universities.
Tura hospital first dist govt facility in Meghalaya to perform ‘limb-salvage’ surgery
Shillong: In a first-of-its-kind medical intervention in a govt district hospital in Meghalaya, doctors at Tura Civil Hospital in West Garo Hills have successfully performed a complex ‘limb-salvage’ surgery. The surgery involved the removal of a 30-cm section of the thigh bone and reconstruction of the knee with a mega-prosthesis. The procedure was conducted on a 58-year-old man who had been wheelchair-bound for several months after developing severe pain and swelling in his right knee.
BJP expands foothold in Meghalaya’s tribal councils
Shillong: Meghalaya’s political realignment is extending to its tribal councils, giving BJP a stronger foothold in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC). The shift follows the defection of two United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators, Pius Marweiñ and Synshar Lyngdoh Thabah, who are also KHADC members. They joined BJP last month, along with six other UDP members of the state assembly.
Meghalaya man gets life in jail without parole for twin murder
Shillong: A man convicted of killing a 79-year-old woman and her 25-year-old domestic help in Nongstoin in 2021 has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. The District and Sessions Court, West Khasi Hills, Nongstoin, sentenced Banphrangkupar Nongbri on Sept 30 in what police described as a “heinous twin murder case”. The court sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for the rest of his “natural life” and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh for each victim, police said on Saturday night.
Shah cancels Shillong visit
Shillong: Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday cancelled his proposed two-day visit to Shillong from Sunday, citing “unavoidable circumstances”. Shah was scheduled to present President’s Police Colour to the Meghalaya Police on Oct 5 at JN Stadium.
Meghalaya identifies 55,000 springs for rural water security
Shillong: Meghalaya has identified 785 critical water sources for rejuvenation and mapped about 55,000 springs across more than 70,000 springsheds, the public health engineering department said. The department said it is also advancing a Payment for Ecosystem Services model to incentivise communities to protect water sources and forest ecosystems.
Teen found hanging in Shillong’s Police Bazaar building
Shillong: The body of a teenage youth was found hanging at a building in Khyndailad, also known as Police Bazaar, Shillong’s main commercial area on Friday. After being informed by the East Khasi Hills district disaster management authority (DDMA), personnel from the 1st SDRF Battalion, based in Mawdiangdiang, Shillong, reached the site and secured the body.
Over 5.47 lakh rural households in Meghalaya get tap water
Shillong: More than 5.47 lakh rural households in Meghalaya have been provided functional tap water connections, taking coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission to 84% as of Sept, the state public health engineering department said on Friday. The department said 75 rural water supply schemes were formally dedicated to communities through simultaneous Jal Arpan celebrations held across the state on Oct 1 and 2.
NE marks Gandhi Jayanti with tributes and clean‑up drives
Shillong/Aizawl/Guwahati: Tributes poured in across the northeast on Friday marking the 157th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi , with leaders and citizens reaffirming his ideals of truth, non‑violence and public service. In Meghalaya, governor Chandrashekhar H Vijayashankar and CM Conrad K Sangma led the observance, stressing the growing relevance of Gandhiji’s message of peace and tolerance in a conflict‑ridden world.
Amit Shah to honour Meghalaya Police on Oct 5
Shillong: Union home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Shillong to participate in the presentation ceremony of President of India’s Police Colour to the Meghalaya Police on Oct 5. Shah is scheduled to arrive in the state capital on Oct 4.
Meghalaya warns law will take its course after VPP MDC ‘disrupts’ nurse interviews
Shillong: Meghalaya govt has taken serious note of VPP MDC Juristman Iawphniaw allegedly disrupting interviews for contractual staff nurse posts at Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills district on Tuesday. Deputy CM in charge of home (police) Prestone Tynsong warned that the law would take its course, saying no one, “whether MLA, MDC or MP”, had the right to disrupt an ongoing interview on the basis of allegations. “Since an allegation has been made, verification and investigation is on.
Meghalaya expands outreach to homeless & vulnerable voters in SIR drive
Shillong: In line with Election Commission of India (ECI) directions, Meghalaya is setting up an adequate number of help desks and special camps for homeless people, those living in night shelters, labourers, economically disadvantaged people and other vulnerable sections to facilitate electoral registration.
4 Assam workers die after inhaling toxic gas in Meghalaya septic tank
Shillong: Four workers from Assam have died after reportedly inhaling toxic gas while attempting to repair an underground septic tank at Rangdokram in Meghalaya’s South Garo Hills district. Police received information around 3 pm on Sunday that two labourers were trying to open the lid of a septic tank at the residence of Sebastian Ch Sangma. They collapsed after being exposed to fumes emanating from inside the tank.
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