Assam encroaches Khanduli again
JOWAI: Hundreds of residents of Khanduli and Umshangiar- villages on the Meghalaya-Assam border in West Jaintia Hills on Monday came out together and uprooted electric poles allegedly erected by Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) on Saturday evening.
“They (ASEB officials) came on Saturday evening and erected 10 electric poles in the area. They completed everything in the same night, giving power supply connection”, village elders of Khanduli informed.
“They came to the village without seeking permission from the Dorbar Shnong and completed the work before we could stop them” village secretary, I Dkhar and the Rangbah Shnong, W Langshiang informed.
On Monday, village authorities of Khanduli and Umshangiar held a general meeting at Khanduli Play-ground in which a decision to uproot all poles erected by Assam in the area was taken.
Immediately after the general meeting, around 300 residents of both the villages rushed to the spot and uprooted all 10 electrical poles. The power supply was first disconnected from the transformer installed at Myn-I (Am-Ih) village. Then they uprooted all the poles.
The 10 electric poles were meant for electrification of some houses near Meghalaya Battalion Outpost which is under the jurisdiction of Khanduli village.
After the electric poles were uprooted, village elders thanked the villagers of the two villages for their active participation and unity.
“Erection of electric poles within Khanduli village is illegal and cannot be accepted,” FKJGP Circle President, Damian War said. He lauded the unity of Khanduli people and urged them to continue such unity to strengthen protest against any encroachment in the border villages.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, West Jaintia Hills District, P Syiem and a Magistrate, FS Basan along with police personnel arrived at Khanduli village to assess the law and order situation.
It may be mentioned that this is not the first time that the Assam has tried to encroach upon Khanduli village in the name of developments activities. In September 2012, villagers from Karbi-Anglong Districthad entered the village for erecting electric poles. People of Khanduli area had uprooted them.
Following the 2012 incident, Khasi-Pnars and Karbis dwelling in Jaintia Hills and Karbi-Anglong districts of Meghalaya and Assam respectively had held a public meeting wherein a joint peace committee was constituted.
Village elders from both the communities had also agreed that there should be no developmental work on either side without the consent of the respective deputy commissioners of the districts, besides the concerned village authorities.