SHILLONG: Border Area Development Minister Prestone Tynsong’s claims of development initiatives being taken up in the border villages of East Jaintia Hills has not gone down well with the residents of the area.
On Tuesday, Tynsong had declared as untrue reports that border villagers were forced to use Bangladesh currency. He had also said that several development initiatives, including construction of road and other civic amenities were taken up by the Government to uplift the residents.
Rubbishing the claims of the minister, Kynjaimon Amse, a law student from a border village said that people in Huroi, Lejri, Lahalein and Hingaria villages among others are still using Bangladesh currency notes for their daily transactions.
Speaking of the bad road conditions in the villages, he said, “Till today the road which connects these villages, the Sonapur-Borkhat road, is in a pathetic state and is not motorable during rainy season.”
Amse also asked the minister to go for a joint inspection of the villages and challenged him for a debate on the various issue afflicting the border areas.