Forum seeks Rajnath help to end border row

TURA: An organisation from North Garo Hills has sought the intervention of Home Minister Rajnath Singh in resolving the boundary dispute with neighbouring Assam.
“The Jinjiram, a tributary of the Brahmaputra formed a natural boundary between Meghalaya’s Garo Hills and Assam. But the changing of the river’s course towards south (into Meghalaya) over the years has led to encroachers from Assam to cultivate and settle in Meghalaya’s land,” the A’chik Indigenous Justice Initiative Forum (AIJIF) said in its letter to the minister.
Quoting residents of the affected areas, the forum said since the formation of Meghalaya, places like Rongsai Bazaar bridge, Sampang Pahar, Mangnakopa, Sildubi and Jolsimina served as the boundary between Assam and Meghalaya but in recent times, there has been encroachment of a few kilometers inside this boundary.
The forum said as per the survey conducted by Assam for setting up of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC), certain areas of Garo Hills, including Pedaldoba, Rongsai, Bolsaldamgre, Balbalgre, Kongrapara, Upper Kongra, Thakurbilla and the Forest beat office of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council in West Garo Hills’ Rongsai and Fakirmara in North Garo Hills will be under the purview of RHAC.
“Telegraphic boundary pillars constructed in the 1920s was the actual boundary that was raised at Rongsai bazaar bridge, Sampang Pahar, Mangnakopa, Sildubi and Jolsimina areas. But those pillars are not visible now. The drifting of the river has created confusion over the actual boundary. The old course is now free land on the Assam side whereas it has swallowed portions from what used to be Meghalaya’s land,” it said.
The forum urged both the Centre and the state to take steps to address the problem stating that the ongoing boundary dispute in several affected villages was causing tension among people on both sides of the border.