10 Garo villages seek status quo

TURA: Villagers from ten Garo villages in North Garo Hills district that were clubbed together with West Garo Hills post delimitation have given a joint petition to the state government objecting to the move and seeking a return to the northern side.
The villagers led by their Gaoburas (headmen) from Thakurbilla, Thakurbilla-Rabha, Darugre, Borjhora, Dhaporbhita, Sarapara, Namapara, Fokirmara, Puranipara and Amtuli have submitted a petition to the deputy commissioner of North Garo Hills calling for a fresh demarcation of the boundary areas under which they fall.Their grievance is against the delimitation committee which tagged their villages under Raksamgre constituency in West Garo Hills although they previously belonged to North Garo Hills district. Since the delimitation move, villagers from these villages have reportedly been provided with election identity cards under Raksamgre in WGH although their polling station falls under Thakurbilla and Dhaporbhita in the north. There are a total of 1780 voters from these ten villages.
The difficulties being faced by the villagers is related to obtaining documents such as birth and caste certificates and applying for jobs under the District Selection Committee.
Some students from the affected villages who applied for jobs under North Garo Hills district have alleged that although their birth and caste certificates are from the district they face opposition from officials because their election identity cards are from Raksamgre constituency in West Garo Hills while their other documents mention the other district.