British Era School Burns Down in Shillong, CM Announces Rs 1 Cr for Rebuilding

SHILLONG: A massive fire broke out at the Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Girls Higher Secondary School in Shillong in the wee hours of Sunday leading to the destruction of the British-era building. The chief minister of the state visited the location later in the day and announced a fund of Rs 1 Cr for the repairs and renovation of the school.

Expressing sorrow over the loss of the heritage establishment, Conrad Sangma assured full support of the state government towards the renovation and reconstruction of the school. He also mentioned that a fund of Rs 1 Cr will be released immediately to the school management committee of the Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Girls Higher Secondary School from the CM’s Special Development Fund.

“We will work out together to arrange the necessary funds to ensure that the school is back to what it was after calculating the full estimates. We cannot give back the same building and the sentiments attached to it in the sense that it was a very old and heritage building. But I am sure the managing committee will appropriately decide how to move forward,” mentioned Conrad Sangma during his visit to review the damages to the school.

The chief minister ensured that the work will start immediately after the fund is being transferred to the school management. He mentioned that the decision to keep the old design from the British era or to redesign the institution lies with the management and he has no say in the same. He also suggested that the management try to retrieve as many documents as possible from the site of the incident.

North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum, KHADC CEM Titosstarwell Chyne and UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh and cabinet minister Alexander Laloo Hek were among the people who visited the site of the fire.

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