Govt to ensure lasting peace along border: CM
Shillong, Mar 4: Chief minister Conrad K Sangma has claimed to have made progress in negotiations on boundary dispute with Assam and that his government is committed to find out a solution for ensuring lasting peace along the inter-state border.
“We will work towards finding a solution and ensure long lasting peace. Today, we have signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and find solution to (resolving) six areas of differences,” Sangma said in his reply to a motion moved by UDP legislator from Nongpoh, Mayral Born Syiem, in the state assembly on Tuesday.
He pointed out that it’s only the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government that has taken the bold step to find a way forward on the “complicated issue”, unlike previous governments that “did not even want to discuss the border issue”.
Listing the Meghalaya’s gain in the process, the chief minister informed that the dispute over Tarabari sector, one of the six resolved areas of differences, was resolved “based on the will of the people”.
Assam government has completely backed off after villages under the sector that came to Meghalaya, he said.
However, the action by Assam government has led to difficulties in running the schools in under the sector.
“There are no teachers in the schools… some actions have been taken and more steps will be taken to address the matter,” the CM said.
Sangma also assured that steps will be taken on a war footing to ensure required infrastructure including road connectivity and provision of necessary services to people living in the resolved areas of differences.
Meanwhile, he termed the alleged use of force by Assam a “challenging situation”.
Reminding that the situation in these areas had been fluctuating and remained volatile for the past 53 years, he said, “Ii is important to note that we are moving forward in a positive manner, which we had not seen in the past.”
Expressing concern over the untoward incidents that happened in the border areas, he said, “These are very complicated problems, but it is only through dialogue we find solutions….”
He also urged the legislators concerned to directly inform him in case of any untoward situation in the border area.
“You have a direct hotline with me. If any situation in your constituency, I will be the first person to ensure that we are able to protect our people in the border,” he said.
“With a caveat, there are challenges and there wil always be situation but whenever situation arises, we will not shy away and we will do whatever we can to give protection and safety to our people,” he assured.
Sangma also urged the MLAs to inform him if there is any delay in construction of border police outposts sanctioned, which seek to increase the presence of forces in the border areas.
However, he said, construction of some border police outposts could not be started yet due to non-availability of land.
On land registration, Sangma said the government is actively pursuing and examining the issue in the best possible manner.
