Shillong, May 8: Three pressure groups under the banner of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Monday extended full support for the implementation of the Myntdu-Leshka Hydro Electric Project (HEP) Stage-II.

Leaders of the Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU), Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF) and East Jaintia National Council (EJNC) in a joint letter to the chairman of the public hearing on MLHEP-stage II said, “The Joint Action Committee of pressure groups fully support this upcoming hydroelectric project which will benefits the state of Meghalaya as a whole.”

The JAC, however, put forth few suggestions to the government and the implementing agencies with regards to the construction work and project development of the MLHEP-stage II.

“(We) urge the implementing agency and the Government to replace the afforestation land from West Khasi Hills District to Jaintia Hills district itself and one can easily find a feasible land for afforestation within the two districts in Jaintia Hills as we have hectares of land to offer for reparation and afforestation land within the two districts of Jaintia Hills,” the letter said.

It also stated, “The JAC would like to request the state government and the implementing agency at first to enrol as many as (possible) local skilled or unskilled staffs/workers for any feasible work and purpose of the project and to prioritize and enrol first the unemployed locals who are skilled and could be unskilled youths to work in the project.”

“For technical staff/workers we kindly request the implementing agency to prioritize first the potential locals and if there are less local technicians, the implementing agency could bring from outside with proper documents and seek permission by applying proper labor license and certificate from the competent authority.”

The JAC said that the project should benefit mainly the local area and to the people from the two districts of West and East Jaintia Hills districts.

“We also urge the Government and the implementing agency to kindly include Borghat Village under the Local Area Development since it could be another village that will be directly and indirectly affected by the dam project in future,” it added.