By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma revealed in the House on Friday that the joint survey could not be conducted in five areas which are under adverse possession falling under Meghalaya Sector along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
According to the Chief Minister, the areas where the joint survey could not be conducted are Amki, Amjalong, Rongkhong, Kurinallah and Muktapur.
“We could not conduct the joint survey in these five areas because it was not possible to establish our legal rights or physical possession of these areas,” the Chief Minister said while making his suo-moto statement on the settlement of Adversely Possessed Lands on the Indo-Bangladesh Border during the Autumn Session of the Assembly on Friday.
Dr Mukul Sangma informed that on the basis of ground realities, a joint survey was taken up and completed in respect of seven (7) areas in the Meghalaya sector, namely, Lyngkhat I, II & III, Pyrdiwah, Tarnahil, and Naljuri I & III while adding that the State Government was taken into confidence during the process of consultations and survey of these areas.
Based on this exercise, he said that the protocol was finalised and signed on September 6, 2011 in Dhaka.
“In respect of seven areas, where joint survey was conducted, Bangladesh has conceded adverse possession of lands by India, and as per the protocol, these lands will be retained by India, whereas in one area, which was under the adverse possession of Bangladesh, the lands will be retained by Bangladesh. In addition, in Muktapur area, Indian nationals shall be allowed to exercise their fishing rights over the water bodies located on the Bangladesh side,” Dr Sangma said.
Similarly, at Pyrdiwah, Indian nationals shall be allowed to draw water from river Piyang, he said while adding that at Tamabil, the portion of land between the international boundary and nallah in the North shall be maintained as a buffer. In the process, Meghalaya stands to gain 240.578 acres, and Bangladesh would get to retain about 41.702 acres.
“The Protocol will come into effect after it is ratified by the two governments and the instruments of ratification are exchanged. It is expected that this settlement should go a long way in improving the law and order situation along the border.
The bilateral relations should also improve and this, in turn, would give a fillip to trade, commerce and tourism between the two countries. This is also anticipated to bring economic benefits to the people residing in the border areas as well as to the State and the country as a whole.
The Chief Minister, however, informed that there remains one area claimed to be under adverse possession of Bangladesh, namely Lobachera Nunchera.