Resolving border dispute priority of both Meghalaya & Assam Govts: Dy CM
Shillong, June 28: The state government has asked the district authorities in West Jaintia Hills to ensure maintenance of status quo in the disputed areas along inter-state border with Assam.
The government directive was issued in the wake of the violation of status quo in a disputed area by tree plantation initiated by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) of Assam, leading to a violent stand-off between people of both the states.
The KAAC move without informing relevant authorities, prompted people from Meghalaya to take law into their hands by uprooting the saplings and torching and dismantling a few huts near Lapangap.
Informing about the directive, deputy chief minister in-charge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong said the situation issue was resolved following intervention of the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police.
“We have already instructed the district administration, both DC and SP, to make sure that the status quo has to be respected. Those people who stay in such areas of difference need to respect the status quo or agreement made,” he said.
The status quo, agreed by both sides, requires mutual agreement for any projects or activities in areas of difference.
Meanwhile, the deputy chief minister is likely to discuss the issue with the waheh shnong (headmen) of the area on Saturday.
On demand for setting up a border police outpost in the area, Tynsong said it may not be a permanent solution to the issue. “Not necessarily only setting up of the police outpost can resolve the issue, if the boundary issue is not resolved,” he said.
Asserting that resolving the boundary dispute is the priority of both the governments in Meghalaya and Assam, the deputy chief minister, said, “Once that is done, I am very sure this kind of problem will not happen.”
The area of plantation is claimed by KAAC as within Assam while the villagers consider it to be inside Meghalaya’s territory.
Appeal to Meghalaya, Assam CMs for joint visit
The Hynniewtrep Border Disputes Redressal Forum (HBDRF) has sought intervention of Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma in resolving the issue that led to uprooting of plantations carried out by KAAC in the disputed area.
It also urged both the chief ministers of Meghalaya and Assam to visit the area to ensure safety and maintain peace in the disputed region.
In a memorandum, the Forum stated that plantation was carried out on June 10 without consulting the village heads of Lapangap, Block-1 in West Jaintia Hills.
Following a complaint lodged in this regard with the deputy commissioner, authorities of both the states held a meeting on June 19 at Khanduli and decided to halt the plantation, it said.
However, the Assam side violated the status quo and went ahead with the plantation without consulting the village heads, resulting in the outburst of Meghalaya villagers on June 25, the Forum stated.
It also urged the state government to deploy more security personnel in the area to ensure safety of the border residents and stop further encroachment by Assam.
Deploy SF10 in Lapangap: JJACBI
The Jaintia Joint Action Committee Border Issue (JJACBI) has urged deputy chief minister and in-charge Home, Prestone Tynsong, to immediately deploy Special Force-10 (SF10) personnel at Lapangap village.
The Committee alleged that the KAAC used to harass Khasi-Phar villagers by obstructing their agricultural activities during sowing and harvesting periods while the Assam Police had been favouring certain Karbi groups in enforcement of norms related to the border.
According to the Committee, deployment of SF10 personnel would help prevent intimidation, encroachment, and restore a sense of security among the farmers and their families besides defusing communal tension.
