By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Coordination Committee on International Border (CCIB) has called for proper demarcation of the international boundary between India and Bangladesh before erecting fencing on the zero line.
“We first need to properly demarcate the international boundary of both the nations before thinking of erecting the fence from the zero line. Without proper demarcation of the boundary it would be difficult to ascertain where exactly is the zero line,” CCIB spokesperson GH Kharshanlor said following their meeting with Chief Secretary WMS Pariat on Friday.
“At present there is only an imaginary line along the international border,” Kharshanlor said, while adding, “Unless there is proper demarcation the CCIB would continue to oppose the proposed border fencing.”
While strongly criticizing the State Government for overlooking the recommendations of the Coordination Committee on Indo-Bangla Border Fencing (CCIBBF), Kharshanlor said that the CCIB was against the land swap deal between Meghalaya and Bangladesh since it was against the interest of the local indigenous people residing along the international border.
“The land swap deal was signed without taking into consideration the recommendations of the CCBBIF which is not acceptable,” Kharshanlor said, adding, “We would want Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma to clarify on why the State Government blindly accepted the deal.”
The CCIBBF was constituted in 2007 by the Meghalaya Government under the Chairmanship of former Chief Minister Donkupar Roy. The CCIBBF had conducted spot inspections along the Indo-Bangla border in Khasi-Jaintia Hills sector of Meghalaya and submitted its report to the State Government.
The CCIB alleged that the land swap deal was signed based on the report of the joint survey between land record officials of India and Bangladesh along with the Border Security Force (BSF).
“The report of the joint survey was totally misleading since the survey was conducted without taking the CCIBBF into confidence or without incorporating the views of the people residing along the international border,” the CCIB alleged.
“In 2007, it was agreed in principle that the CCIBBF should be part of the exercise on matters relating to border fencing and survey along the Indo-Bangla border,” the CCIB said, while expressing surprise that the government did not involve the CCIBBF in such an important matter.
The survey was part of an understanding reached between India and Bangladesh to solve the long-pending boundary dispute inherited after partition of the two countries.
Following his visit as part of the Prime Ministerial delegation to Bangladesh, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma had announced in the State Assembly on September 9 last that 12 areas were under adverse possession of India in the Meghalaya sector. The areas identified to be adverse possession of India included Muktapur, Pyrdiwah, Lyngkhat-I, II & III, Kurinallah,Tamabil, Naljuri-I & III, Rhongkum, Amjalong and Amki, while there was one area under adverse possession of Bangladesh, namely Lobachera-Nunchera.
Dr Sangma had also claimed that following the land swap deal, Meghalaya stands to gain 240.578 acres while Bangladesh would get to retain about 41.702 acres of land currently under dispute.
However, the CCIB is alleging that the total land under adverse possession is 559.70 acres. “It is surprising that over 277 acres of land has disappeared. Since Meghalaya stands to gain 240.578 acres and Bangladesh 41.702 acres, the total land accounted for was only 282.280 acres,” the CCIB claimed, while adding, “The Chief Minister should clarify on the land swap deal including the disappearance of the 277 acres of land,” CCIB member Hamlet Dohling demanded.