SHILLONG: The district administration of West Khasi Hills has raised the issue of encroachment and new settlement in the disputed areas around Langpih.
This was informed by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, in a reply to a call attention notice moved by UDP legislator Titosstarwell Chyne over alleged reports that over 200 families from the Nepali community had arrived and settled at Langpih recently, prompting the KSU to lodge a complaint with the deputy commissioner.
In his written reply, the chief minister stated, “The information received from the KSU Langpih Area was shared with the District Police of Nongstoin for ascertaining the facts of new settlement of Nepali community in the area, but was, however confirmed from the local people that no new settlement took place recently in the area.”
Moreover, he said that the local people further informed that the Nepali community who settled in the area many years back can speak the Khasi language and their local dialect fluently but those who arrived recently can hardly speak the language or the dialect.
The chief minister informed that at present, the police camp at Langpih has the strength of 30 armed personnel led by an Officer in-Charge.
The chief minister also assured that all possible steps are being taken to resolve the boundary dispute and to provide redress to the people of the affected areas.
“During the joint meeting of the chief ministers of both states held on June 5, 2010, which was attended by the Revenue ministers and chief secretaries of both the states along with other officials, it was agreed that no new settlement or encroachment would be allowed in these areas of dispute by both State governments and that status quo would be maintained,” the chief minister stated in his reply.
The matter was also taken up with the Assam government to issue directions to their district administration to maintain status quo in this regard.
Again, at the chief secretary level meeting on May 24, 2012 in Dispur, the deputy commissioner of West Khasi Hills had raised the issue of new settlements by people from outside the area and a joint house to house census was suggested to prevent attempts to settle illegally in the disputed lands.
The Assam side, however, did not accept as the National Census had been completed only a few years back, the chief minister stated.
Resumption of developmental works along the inter-state boundary was taken up without prejudice to the claims of either party at the meeting of nodal officers of both states on October 20, 2012 and again on October 31, 2012.
“It was agreed that the continuing dispute should not be the cause of hindering any developmental work and that law and order should be maintained,” the chief minister said.
He further informed that in the last meeting of the nodal officers on May 30, 2014 it was decided that the deputy commissioners, SPs, divisional forest officers and respective autonomous district councils would meet their respective counterparts once in a quarter irrespective of whether any incidents arise or not.
“The designated border magistrates along with the SDPO/DSP/CI would meet once a month with the respective counterparts,” the chief minister stated in the reply.
At the same time, he mentioned that provision of drinking water supply and electricity from either side will be ensured to the residents along the inter-state boundary.
