By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Opposition NCP on Wednesday demanded creation of a State force to man the inter-state border with Assam.
Rongchugiri legislator James K Sangma (NCP) suggested creation of the Meghalaya Border Security Force in line with the Central Border Security Force to guard the inter-state boundary.
Sangma also suggested creation of a separate department to manage the inter-state border affairs since the Border Areas Development department is responsible for the international border.
Asking the government to put in place some mechanism to check influx, Sangma said that the State border security force could be utilized to check and prevent influx of illegal settlers in Meghalaya.
Mawsynram MLA Pynshngainlang Syiem (Congress) was of the view that the growing influx in the State was posing a threat to the identity of the indigenous people.
He also claimed that the unprecedented increase of population in Meghalaya indicates the presence of a large number of illegal migrants.
Senior NCP leader and Tura Legislator, Purno A Sangma, highlighted the discrepancy between the Governor’s Address to the House and the Labour Minister’s statement on registration of migrant labourers in the State.
He pointed out that the Governor’s Address had mentioned that migrant labourers were being registered in the State whereas Labour Minister Rowell Lyngdoh had stated in the floor of the House that only the principal employer or contractor are required to be registered under the Inter-State Migration Workmen (Regulation of Employment an Condition of Service) Act 1979.
Jaiaw legislator Paul Lyngdoh (UDP) wanted the government to start the process of issuing identity cards to all the registered labourers in the State.
Songsak MLA Nihim D Shira (NCP) stressed on the need to address the problem of influx and asked the government to pay immediate attention to the issue.
