Village seeks govt help after Assam cops stop work

NONGPOH: The Dorbar Shnong of a village in the disputed Assam-Meghalaya border has urged Power Minister Comingone Ymbon to ensure smooth implementation of the Centre’s rural electrification programme.
The State government, under the ‘Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana’, has funded for the electrification of Sabuda village but Assam police had objected to putting up electric poles.
Local headman Shanroy Mukhim and president of Synjuk ki Rangbah Shnong Raid Nongtung Blikshon Sohtun met the Power Minister on Thursday and requested him to take up the matter with the Assam government after communication at the DC level yielded no result.
“The Ri Bhoi DC had written to his counterpart in Karbi Anglong but there was no reply. The Dorbar Shnong is deeply concerned,” Sohtun told The Shillong Times.
“We are worried about the daily interference of Assam police in development schemes implemented by the Meghalaya Government. This way, the scheme will be lapsed and locals will suffer as they have been waiting for electricity for several decades,” he added.
This is, however, not the first time that Assam police have hindered development works in the disputed border area in Ri Bhoi. Earlier this month, they stopped construction of an eri-farming building at Madan Umwang village.
However, the state government is yet to take a stand despite Chief Minister Mukul Sangma promising unhindered development of the areas.
Sohtun said the delegation also asked the minister to provide security to workers of MeECL in the village.