SHILLONG: The Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council (HYC) has intensified calls for central government intervention in Meghalaya, submitting a comprehensive memorandum to the Governor that outlines critical concerns ranging from illegal settlements to youth employment and healthcare staffing.
Addressing youth employment, the HYC strongly objected to the non-compliance with job reservation policies in central government establishments within Meghalaya. Central mandates stipulate reservations of 44% for Scheduled Tribes, 1% for Scheduled Castes, and 5% for Other Backward Classes in Group C and D posts.
HYC President Roy Kupar Synrem asserted that numerous central offices, PSUs, and autonomous institutions in the state fail to follow these quotas, effectively excluding qualified local Khasi candidates. The council urged the Governor to engage the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to enforce strict adherence and implement regular monitoring.
The delegation also highlighted growing security and public health risks at Lum Survey in Iewduh, a Defence Estate Office property now occupied by illegal squatters. Describing the area as a lawless enclave fostering criminal activity, drug trafficking, and sanitation hazards, the HYC warned that it has become a refuge for undocumented immigrants and illicit trade.
ALSO READ: DC and Defence Authorities to Coordinate on Illegal Settlers, Drug Trade at Lum Survey
The council requested a joint initiative between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs to verify residents, clear unauthorized structures, and establish a dedicated administrative body for the property.
On healthcare, the HYC advocated for a structured female-to-male staffing ratio among nursing officers at NEIGRIHMS, considering its status as a major referral hospital serving women and children.
The council stressed that units like Obstetrics, Gynaecology, NICU, and PICU require a higher proportion of female nursing staff for safety and patient comfort. They urged the Governor to petition the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to adopt an 80:20 female-to-male nursing ratio at NEIGRIHMS, in line with practices at other leading central medical institutions.
The HYC emphasized that these demands reflect urgent public health, economic, and security needs of Meghalaya.
The leadership appealed to the Governor to swiftly convey these issues to the Central Government to ensure prompt and effective resolution.
(4FrontMedia news)
