District Admin on alert, out to defuse tension
SHILLONG: The killing of another non-tribal labourer from Mankachar in West Garo Hills may precipitate communal tension and law and order problems in the bordering districts of Assam and Meghalaya, especially West and South West Garo Hills Districts. According to security inputs, the killings of non tribal labourers in West Garo Hills, is being carried out with the intent to neutralize police operations against militants.
The latest killing took place at Penny Valley locality in Tura and is the second such incident in a week.
Earlier on July 21 another labourer working at a construction site in Burny Hills locality of Tura was found murdered.
After consultation with senior officers and higher authorities in the Home (Police) Department and Political Department, the District Administration in collaboration with the District Police of West Garo Hills is trying to reach out to all parties concerned to defuse the current situation.
In this regard, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Pravin Bakshi has made an appeal to organizations associated with the minorities and non-tribal labourers hailing from outside the state, especially in Mankachar, stating that the current situation requires patience and tolerance so that steps can be taken to neutralize the forces trying to incite communal tension.
An appeal has also been made to all organizations, both religious and related to migrant labourers, to maintain calm and cooperate with the District Administration and State Government to maintain law and order, peace and tranquility and communal harmony.
“The spate of killings has a clear design to vitiate the communal atmosphere of Garo Hills and neighbouring districts and precipitate a law and order situation wherein communal tension prevails. It is being done with the intent to gain strategically in terms of the current police operations against militancy in Garo Hills. This has been clearly suggested by multiple security inputs and intelligence reports,” Bakshi said.
According to the WGH DC, advisory has been given to the Superintendent of Police to conduct independent inquiries into all the cases of murders of innocent migrant labourers in West Garo Hills and identify and apprehend the people behind these condemnable killings.
“An instruction will be issued from the office of the Deputy Commissioner as Chairman of the District Level Task Force on Labour to make available to the office of the Deputy Commissioner/ Deputy Labour Commissioner/Superintendent of Police information about the presence of non-tribal migrant labourers at work and construction sites,” he said adding that various labour legislations have already made it mandatory to comply with these stipulations.
Stating that it is the mandate of District Level Task Force on Labour and the District Police to find out accurate number of migrant construction labourers employed in different parts of the district with their full details and documentary proof of residence among others, to ensure regular patrolling in these areas, he said, it is also crucial in view of the revised rates of daily minimum wages for unskilled, semi skilled and skilled labourers recently notified by the Department of Labour.
Bakshi further informed that very soon there shall be a team headed by a magistrate that shall visit all construction sites and take stock of the migrant labourers therein and report any anomalies and also suggest security and welfare measure for construction workers.
He, however, made it very clear that NGOs or any organization on their own shall not conduct any visits or inspections to these construction sites which would create apprehensions in the minds of the labourers.
Demand for compensation
Bakshi also said that a demand for compensation for the victims has also been made by the concerned organizations and families and it is being considered by the State Government for approval.
As an urgent measure, Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Dadenggre, Sibhi C. Sadhu, has been instructed to meet his counterpart Sub-Divisional Officer, Hat Singhimari, AL Gyani and organize a meeting with the leaders of social organizations and religious bodies to explain and discuss the matters.
The meeting would also discuss confidence building measures, adequate compensation, inter faith committees and other mechanisms like regular patrolling in the border areas and in an around Tura to apprehend miscreants and militants out to destabilize the region and spark communal tension.
The different security steps taken and counter insurgency initiatives will also be explained to pressure groups. An appeal for peace will be made in the meeting and preferably local peace committees shall be formed.
At the same time, a dedicated complaint number of West Garo Hills Police (09089398451) which will be active 24 X 7 has been setup and any specific information can be immediately conveyed to this number.
“Complaints of the extortion and demand notes can also be made by name or confidentially to the same number which is dedicated for the information of the police about any militancy and crime related activity,” he said.