Itanagar: A core committee will be constituted to carry out joint survey verification of Chakma and Hajong families settled in Arunachal Pradesh between 1964-69 to prepare a census report and submit its report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) within February 28 next.
This was decided in the second joint high power committee meeting held here yesterday, an official report said here on Saturday.
The core committee will be headed by political secretary Indira Mallo Jain and comprise three members each from the Committee for Citizenship Rights of Chakma and Hajong of Arunachal Pradesh (CCRCHAP) and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU).
The second joint high power committee meeting was constituted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) under the chairmanship of its joint secretary (NE-II) Shambhu Singh, on Chakma and Hajon refugees of Arunachal Pradesh, the report said.
The Chairman assured that necessary fund required for the census exercise will be provided by the MoHA.
Representation on behalf of CCRCHAP was submitted by its general secretary Santosh Kumar Chakma, while representation on behalf of AAPSU was highlighted by legal advisor TT Tara. Chairman Singh called for respecting the law of land adding that while we need to respect human rights, on the other hand law should not be trampled upon at any cost.
He emphasised that jurisdiction of maintaining settlement within the allotted blocks must be adhered to as law abiding people adding that CCRCHAP must play a vital role on the issue, its said.
He termed the meeting as part of the ongoing process to find and arrive at a consensus adding that the opinions of all must be taken into account.
Terming the district administration as a vital arm of the government, he stressed on informing the local administration concerned like the deputy commissioner, police and forest official during such exercise.
While summing up the meeting, Secretary (Political) Indra Mallo Jain informed that the exercise of joint survey verification process will begin with its first meeting fixed on November 3, hoping that its objective of arriving to a logical conclusion to the issue will be achieved. (PTI)