From Our Spl Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Highest decadal growth of population in the small hill State of Meghalaya which has predominantly Christian tribal population has become a cause for serious concern in several quarters including in the Governments both at the State and the Centre.
But the census figures of neighbouring Bangladesh which was out on Monday has hinted the worst feared truth — there is lot of illegal infiltration from that country to the landlocked state either directly or through Assam. Even though the population of that country increased like any other South Asian nation, there is decrease in population including in some of the areas close to India’s North East including in minority dominated areas in that country, the figures hinted.
The reasons for decrease in population despite an overall increase deserves more research, the census chief of that country had said. “But a reason behind the trend could be that a lot of people have migrated to other countries over the years, and most of them were men,” said Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics which conducts the census.
The country’s population now stands at 14.23 crore, which is 1.8 crore more than a decade ago. The annual growth rate is 1.34 per cent, according to preliminary findings of the Population and Housing Census 2011 which also coincides with India’s census.
Bangladesh is the third most populated country in South-East Asia after India and Pakistan, which have 121.45 crore and 18.48 crore people, according to United Nations Population Fund. Its population now is higher than the combined total of Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Singapore.
Meghalaya with nearly 30 lakh population had reported highest decadal growth not only among all the north eastern states but also among all the special category states and even states with large international borders like Punjab and Rajasthan. The state with a population of 29,64,007 reported 27.82 percent of decadal growth which is also higher than the national average in the provisional census of 2011, as per the earlier census reports.
The reason behind the high decadal growth in such a small state is yet to be explained by the Centre. But various NGOs in the hill state were alarmed at such reports. Even Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had declined to comment on the latest Census report that indicated that some of the North Eastern States including Meghalaya bordering Bangladesh may have witnessed abnormal population increase. To a question why Meghalaya, Assam and Tripura witnessed high population growth, the Home Minister, had merely said that his ministry has not studied the report and has not arrived at any conclusion.
Among the North Eastern States, Meghalaya has witnessed the highest population growth rate of 27.82 per cent followed by Arunachal Pradesh (25.92 per cent), Mizoram (22.78 per cent) and Manipur (18.65 per cent). The state’s population was also well above the national average.
Illegal immigration from Bangladesh to some states of North East India was a known fact earlier with two former Governors of Meghalaya and Assam submitting official reports to this effect. But for the first time reports from across the long and porous border are hinting at this malaise. When questioned why the four other North Eastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, Aruanchal Pradesh and Mizoram have not shown similar rise in population census experts point out that these state have Inner Line Permit system which makes entry of outsiders much more difficult.
Precisely, for the same reason, NGOs in these three states including in Meghalaya are demanding for introduction of ILP at least in Automous District Council areas to begin with.