Forum warns of influx in Garo Hills

SHILLONG: The Achik Indigenous Justice Initiative Forum has warned of the threat of influx into the Garo Hills and has drawn attention to incomplete fencing on the Indo-Bangla border.
In a press release on Saturday, the AIJIF pointed out that the international border fence near Balughat has yet to be completed even two years after the National Building Construction Company began work on it, allowing easy infiltration by people from Bangladesh into the state.
The Forum also raised doubts over the NBCC’s figure that 80 percent compensation has been paid to the people of the Garo Hills with regards to the fencing and said that its own investigation has revealed that few indigenous people have received payment.
The AIJIF also questioned the route the PWD has chosen for the Mahendraganj-Mankachar road, saying that it will allow further influx into the region.
The problem of influx extends across several districts and, over the last two decades, the Garo Hills has witnessed widespread encroachment by outsiders, the body alleged.
It blamed government inaction, both the state and the GHADC, for not checking the problems surrounding influx, even when these were pointed out to the District Council and Deputy Commissioner of South West Garo Hills.
Even some Nokmas have been guilty of selling off land in the Garo Hills to outsiders, according to the release.