CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Residents of Nongspung A village in Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi district have sought Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma's intervention to expedite the construction of a promised school building, alleging flaws in the proposed design and prolonged delays.
In a complaint submitted on October 17, the villagers recalled that Sangma had assured them of a new building under the Chief Minister's Special Development Fund during his visit on May 22, 2025. The assurance was given in the presence of the local MLA and the Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner after the village headman submitted a memorandum, which the Chief Minister forwarded to Education Department officials.
The villagers alleged that repeated representations to the department and district administration over the past year and five months had failed to ensure timely progress. District School Education Officer T Shangrang forwarded the budget proposal to the Deputy Commissioner on October 13, 2026, who sent it to the Chief Minister's Office the following day.
The complaint also questioned the design prepared by Ebrin, a civil engineer associated with the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan in Ri Bhoi. The villagers alleged that the engineer had prepared the plan without visiting the site or adequately assessing the school's requirements.
According to the complaint, the proposed building's dimensions appeared to exceed the available land, while the design seemed to cater only to the Lower Primary section, despite the existing building accommodating both Lower Primary and Upper Primary classes.
The villagers have sought an inquiry into the preparation of the design, a written explanation from the engineer and clarification on whether a physical inspection was conducted. They also demanded that the plan be revised according to the actual site conditions and the needs of students and teachers, with the village dorbar consulted before approval. They stressed that correcting the alleged shortcomings should not cause further delays in construction. The villagers said a modern school building was essential to improving educational facilities as Nongspung A sought to develop into a Smart Model Village.
Copies of the complaint were sent to Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, Jirang MLA Sosthenes Sohtun, Chief Secretary Dr Shakil P Ahammed and senior Education Department officials, among others. The villagers urged the government to ensure a technically suitable design and begin construction without further delay.
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