‘Aided’ by Assam, village dumps M’laya
By Ronald Syiem
NONGSTOIN: They are the indigenous tribe of Meghalaya living inside Meghalaya, but they do not want to be called the State’s citizens anymore, thanks to the ‘affection’ shown towards them by neighbouring Assam and equal amount of neglect by their own State.
People of this border village, Barigang in Kyrshai area of West Khasi Hills district, have already enrolled themselves with Assam in the recent census and also refused to be enrolled under Meghalaya.
According to the villagers, Meghalaya Government has undertaken no development activities in the village under Nongstoin constituency. The village would come under Jyrngam Rambrai constituency in the 2013 Assembly elections.
With no State Government schemes reaching Barigang, the people of the remote border village had to be entirely dependent on facilities provided by neighbouring Assam.
Since the villagers have ‘realised’ it was Assam Government which had been taking care of their small or big needs, they had decided to enroll the entire population of the area with the neighbouring State.
“Since we depend on Assam Government for everything, there is no meaning to claim that we are the citizens of Meghalaya or to get enrolled with the State,” Ankline Sangma, the village headman told The Shillong Times here.
“All our basic requirements like road connectivity, electricity, health sub centre, water supply, primary education etc., have been fulfilled by them (Assam Government),” Ferdinad N Sangma, the gaonburah (village head) of Barigang appointed by Assam, said.
“A road being constructed by Assam from Rajapara to Barigang is nearly complete and with this road connectivity we got a lot of developmental projects from the Assam Government,” he added.
The frustration of the villagers due to the continuous neglect by Meghalaya Government was evident when Sangma said, “Yes we all know that our village falls under West Khasi Hills but we have not received any single aid from Meghalaya Government so far.” Not only Barigang but Sonapur village of West Khasi Hills also has enrolled its population with Assam during the census, he asserted.
A State census enumerator, S Kumar, was sent back by the people of Barigang village recently. The villagers did not allow him to collect any data since they had already enrolled with Assam.
Even as more villages in Khyrshai area have reportedly enrolled with Assam, the Government of Meghalaya is not known to have taken any step in this regard.
