SHILLONG: Reiterating their demand for immediate implementation of the comprehensive mechanism proposed by them to the State Government, the pro-ILP pressure groups on Saturday made it clear that they stand firm in their commitment of getting an ILP-like regulation introduced in the Meghalaya to control influx in the State.
While asserting that they have not abandoned their demand for implementation of the ILP as per the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation, 1873, the 13 pro-ILP pressure groups have impressed upon the State Government that it should give due importance to all the points suggested by them and put in place a comprehensive mechanism to curb the problem of influx and inflow of illegal immigrants.
“We have suggested a mechanism which, more or less, has features similar to the original ILP,” KSU president Daniel Khyriem said after a meeting of Rangbah Shnong of the various localities of the city and its suburbs here on Saturday.
The KSU president also clarified that the NGOs never coined the term ‘modified ILP’ since “ILP cannot be modified”.
He also said that the NGOs’ demands for ILP still stands but since the State Government has made it clear that ILP cannot be implemented without the approval of the Centre, so an alternative mechanism was needed to deal with influx.
According to the KSU president, almost all the headmen who attended the meeting were willing to give their full support to the NGOs to strengthen their demand for a comprehensive mechanism to curb influx.
Khyriem also said that the 13 NGOs have given the headmen a month’s time to go through all facts and details of the comprehensive mechanism and give their suggestions to the NGOs who will refer them to the Government so as to give more teeth to the proposed system.
While welcoming the formation of the three committees by the government to complete the exercise, Khyriem said, “We welcome the initiatives taken by the government based on our suggestions and we hope the committees will complete their task within two months.”
Members of about 60 Dorbar Shnong of both urban and suburban areas of Shillong attended the meeting held at Jaiaw Lumpyllun. Khyriem said the Dorbar Shnong were asked to give their suggestions on the matter and made it clear that the suggestion submitted by the pressure groups to the government is not for a “modified inner line permit.”
FKJGP president Joe Marwein too welcomed the constitution of the committees and said that the committee should complete the exercise at the earliest.
It is noteworthy that during their meeting with the State Government on April 29, the pressure groups had submitted at least 10 points to the government to structure a mechanism in line with the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation Act, 1873. One of the suggestions was to intensify checking both at the entry and exit points in the State.