KSU warns against attempt to weaken Land Transfer Act, demands Govt to speed up setting up of Shillong Medical College

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 26, 2022

The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Wednesday warned against any attempt to weaken the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act.

This came after there has been a recent demand made to allow doctors from outside the state to buy land in Meghalaya to address the shortage of specialist doctors in the state.

Opposing this idea, KSU general secretary, Donald V Thabah said the shortage of specialist doctors in the state is due to absence of a medical college.

Despite 50 years of statehood, Meghalaya is yet to have its own medical college.

“We could have produced many health specialists if we had our own medical college. This would have helped the people of the state, especially those who cannot afford to get treatment outside – with better healthcare,” he said.

Thabah however said if the government now decide to allow doctors from outside to acquire land it would no doubt defeat the efforts put in by the Hill state leaders like Martin N Majaw and others who through their farsightedness had put in place the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act to regulate transfer of land for the protection of the rights and interests of the tribal indigenous people of the state.

“Therefore, we strongly demand the state government to speed up the setting up of the medical college and at the same time warn against any attempt to weaken the provisions of the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act,” he stated.