SHILLONG: The Congress-led Opposition in the KHADC has suggested the need to prepare cadastral survey map of the areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Council.
“I think it is time for the Council to come up with its own official map by demarcating the various areas within its jurisdiction,” Congress MDC Jansing Tynsong said while moving a resolution on the issue in the Council on Wednesday.
He observed that an official map would prove to be crucial considering the fact that some areas under the Council’s jurisdiction share boundaries with both Assam and Bangladesh.
“We also need to have an official map to determine the exact point and location of our own areas. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to determine the areas under the Council in view of the large-scale encroachment along the inter-State and international boundaries,” Tynsong said.
The Congress MDC was also of the view that such a map would be useful for the State Government to support its claim on the disputed areas vis-à-vis the boundary dispute with Assam.
He also suggested that the Council can also prepare the maps of the various Hima, Elaka, villages and localities.
“We can seek the help of the various Hima and Elaka to help in the preparation of these maps,” Tynsong said.
Supporting the resolution, Opposition leader Pynshngain N Syiem said that the preparation of the maps was the need of the hour considering the internal war between the various Hima over the boundary issue.
He said that Hima Mawsynram and Hima Dwara Nongtyrnem recently had huge problems due to the dispute over the boundary.
“Hima Bhowal and Hima Muharram are also embroiled in a tussle over the boundary issue,” Syiem said while adding that this kind of situation is prevailing in many of the Hima.
The Opposition leader observed that the only way to resolve these internal rumblings between the Hima is for the Council to take a call in demarcating their boundaries.
In reply, Executive Member in charge Elaka, K.P. Pangniang, assured that the Executive Committee would examine this proposal.
Admitting that it was unfortunate that the State does not know its own boundaries even after 40 years of Statehood, he said that the Council can take a lead by preparing its own official boundary map.
The EM also admitted that there were internal problems within the Hima over the boundary issue.
“The best possible way to address this problem is have to separate maps for the Hima and Elaka,” Pangniang said.