Panel to submit report on Block-I in 2 months
Shillong, Dec 20: In what can be a precursor to settlement of the inter-state boundary in the long-disputed Block-I area, the regional committee for West Jaintia Hills has decided to submit its report to the state government within two months.
“We have asked the district administration to prepare the report (with regard to villages under Block-I area)… they have requested one or two months to complete it,” said deputy chief minister and the regional committee chairman Sniawbhalang Dhar after chairing a meeting of the committee here on Thursday.
“Once the report is ready, we will present it to the state government, which will then study it before calling on our counterpart in Assam,” he added.
On the demand for retransferring 36 villages under Block-I back to Meghalaya, Dhar said, “Yes, they (people) have expressed their feelings on this and we have captured all those points and requests made. However, both state governments will sit along with the two regional committees (and based on our reports), they will decide on the matter.”
He informed that the regional committee will sit again in the second or third week of January next year.
Further, the committee discussed an incident of construction taken up by Assam side in Block-I area.
“We have accordingly instructed the district administration to stop the construction work as it falls under the areas of difference,” he said while emphasising the need to maintain the status quo.
On the other hand, the deputy chief minister stressed the importance for both the states to allow developmental activities on condition that the respective district administrations are informed, which was not the case in the recent incident.
Stating that the government is committed to resolving the border issue, Dhar said the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya will soon fix a date for visiting the areas of difference.
“Although there is no deadline for the second phase of border talks, we are trying to resolve the issue at the earliest possible,” he added.
