Meghalaya to check antecedents of migrant workers

Shillong, May 3: The Meghalaya government has decided to enforce stringent measures to check the antecedents of migrant labourers in the coal-belt areas of the state to deal with the anti-socials.

Coal mine owners and exporters will have to register the names of their labourers with the police after verifying their antecedents and place of origin, West Khasi Hills District Deputy Commissioner Freeman Kharlyngdoh told sources here over the phone from Nongstoin.

Mr Kharlyngdoh said the government took this decision after the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) served 'quit notices' to migrant labourers in Borsora, Nongjri and Nonghyllam areas after they had allegedly harassed the indigenous 'Hoi-polloi' tribals. The 'quit notices' ended here yesterday.

The FKJGP also revoked its 'quit notices' following the district administration in West Khasi Hills district agreed to enforce stringent measures to monitor the antecedents of these migrant labourers.

There are about 15,000 migrant workers in Meghalaya working in the coal-belt areas of the state. It was alleged that most of the migrant labourers were Nepali and Bangladeshi nationals.

UNI