Meghalaya govt keen to implement work permit

Shillong, May 4 (UNI) The Meghalaya government has reconstituted the "Committee on Work Permit" to study the implementation of "Work Permit" to control inflow of migrant labourers, besides curbing the influx of foreign nationals.

Chief Minister D D Lapang told reporters here last night that the "Political" department had sought the opinion of the Additional Advocate General before submitting its proposal to the Committee.

"If there was no constitutional hurdle in the implementation of the work permit, the government would go ahead to implement the Work Permit," he said.

Meanwhile, the Khasi Student's Union has demanded immediate implementation of the three-tier identity card system from the Lapang-led government. Yesterday, a delegation of KSU activists led by their president Samuel Jyrwa met the chief minister suggesting the government to contain the influx of foreign nationals through stringent regulations like introduction of the three-tier identity card scheme based on 1971 as the qualifying year for citizenship.

Recently, the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People issued a 'quit notice' to all migrant labourers in the coal-belt areas of state's West Khasi district after they had allegedly harassed the indigenous 'hoi-polloi'.

However, the federation revoked its order following the district administration in West Khasi Hills district agreed to enforce stringent measures to monitor the antecedents of these migrant labourers.

UNI