By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma has stressed on the need for a comprehensive and institutionalized mechanism to address the issue of illegal immigrants infiltrating into the State.
The Chief Minister also took a dig at some of the NGOs who are expressing concern over influx in the State but at the same are posing hurdles in the fencing of the Indo-Bangla international border, which he said would go a long way in solving the issue of Bangladeshi immigrants entering the State.
He also said that the Border Security Force in the last few months has apprehended many Bangladeshi immigrants who were trying to sneak into the State through the porous border.
Speaking on the demands for implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the State, the Chief Minister said that the Government had formed many committees for exploring the possibility of implementing ILP in the State.
“ILP alone is not an answer to solve the issue,” Dr Sangma said, while adding that there is a need for a better and comprehensive mechanism to address the issue.
Expressing his views against ILP, Dr Sangma said people who are determined to enter the State will not come through the gates. He also said that the ILP will discourage investors from visiting the State
“It will discourage good people and bring bad people,” he said.
According to Dr Sangma, the State Government has set up an Anti-Infiltration Directorate with 117 posts and added that district-level teams have been constituted in seven districts of the State to keep a check on illegal immigrants.
He, however, stated that the ongoing drive is having an adverse impact on development activities in the State since labourers have to go to through a stringent check system as a result of which they are not willing to visit the State which is resulting in time overrun for several projects.