Assam, Meghalaya to form joint panel over allegations against private university

A joint committee between Assam and Meghalaya will be formed to address concerns raised by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM). The announcement was made by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday.

The move comes after Sarma launched a series of allegations against USTM and its chancellor, Mahbabul Haque, last month. One of the key accusations was that the university’s development activities were responsible for the large-scale waterlogging in Guwahati.

“The Assam CM and I have discussed the matter, and we will set up a joint committee with officials from both states to examine the concerns,” Sangma told.

Sarma further accused USTM of engaging in a "flood jihad" by demolishing hills to build new structures, which he claims led to severe flooding in Guwahati. USTM, however, defended itself, stating its campus plays a minimal role in water flow issues affecting downstream areas like Jorabat.

In addition to these accusations, Sarma has also indicated legal action against Haque, alleging that he fraudulently obtained an OBC certificate from Karimganj district three decades ago.