Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Credit: PTI Photos
Shillong: Under attack from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly engaging in "flood jihad" in Guwahati, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Sunday defended the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), praising its "contributions as a leading educational institution".
"They are doing an excellent job. The USTM team is one of the premier education institutions in our state," Sangma said during a talk show in New Delhi.
He emphasised that the university has obtained all necessary permissions required for construction and establishing a varsity.
USTM, which has named its medical college after the CM's father P A Sangma, was recently granted permission to start an MBBS course with 150 seats, making it the first private medical college in the state.
According to the Chief Minister, USTM is providing quality education across its various departments. "I've seen the commitment they have shown. While there are other issues that can be debated, the key point is that they are delivering quality education to their students," he told Pratidin Times.
Congratulating the USTM team for adhering to the rules and guidelines for construction, Sangma remarked, "All necessary permissions as per the regulations have been obtained from the deputy commissioner, the state government, and any relevant agencies." Regarding environmental concerns, he said, "Education institutions are exempt from taking certain permissions related to environmental issues." The USTM attracted criticism from Himanta Biswa Sarma when Guwahati faced floods earlier this year, leading the Assam Chief Minister to accuse the university of launching a "flood jihad."