We are hoping that amendment to Meghalaya Residents, Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) will then allow us to have that system in place.
– Conrad K Sangma, Chief Minister
Shillong, July 13: The real challenge in setting up an entry-exit point at Umling is to put in place a legal mechanism for it, and not to install the physical infrastructure, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Monday.
“Getting an entry-exit point is not an issue. We can set it up today, we can set it up tomorrow. The question is about having a legal mechanism to implement and actually enforce a checking that should happen,” Sangma said while responding to Tourism Minister Timothy D Shira’s statement on setting up a tourist registration centre at Umling.
The announcement about tourism registration centre and setting up a food court at Umling drew sharp criticism and sharpened the demand for setting an entry-exit point to check “unabated influx” into the state.
Pointing out that the problem lies in enforcement, the Chief Minister said, “That is where the problem and the challenge is… we are hoping that the amendment to the Meghalaya Residents, Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) will then allow us to have that system in place.”
He stressed that infrastructure alone will not solve the issue.
“Putting up a gate is not an issue at all, but enforcing it to check (influx) and what kind of checking takes place… that is a key issue. So, opening a gate tomorrow and having people sitting there is not going to solve the problem,” Sangma said.
Supporting the tourism minister’s statement about the need for a tourism registration centre, he said effectiveness of the centre depends on legal backing.
“He is right in the sense that we are going to set up but, as I said, for it to become actually effective in the way that we would want it to be, that requires some work to be done, which is what the MRSSA amendment was supposed to be. We are working on it, let’s hope for the best,” the CM added.
