SHILLONG, FEB 2:
Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla on Monday assured that the government would review the feasibility of setting up a sub-health centre at Hingaria, a border village adjoining Bangladesh, following a meeting with a delegation from Hingaria Dorbar Shnong.
The minister said the government would work towards an amicable solution while adhering to the norms and criteria for establishing sub-health centres.
Earlier, the government had proposed setting up a sub-centre in Hingaria. However, the plan was later shifted to Mynkre due to issues related to land feasibility and population requirements. Shylla pointed out that the nearby Huroi sub-health centre, located around three kilometres away, currently caters to Hingaria, whose population is below 3,000.
Despite this, the minister acknowledged the remote location of Hingaria and its strategic proximity to the international border, assuring that the matter would be reconsidered.
“We will find an amicable solution, following the laid-down criteria for sub-health centres,” Shylla told reporters.
The Dorbar Shnong, however, urged the government to reconsider its decision, highlighting serious public health concerns and the villagers’ right to basic healthcare facilities. They claimed that a land survey had already been conducted in Hingaria, but the scheme was later shifted citing insufficient land — a claim they strongly refuted.
According to the shnong authorities, Hingaria faces high maternal mortality rates and low immunisation coverage, largely due to delayed access to medical care, making the establishment of a local sub-health centre crucial for the village.