SHILLONG: The demand to issue free land registration to the people residing in the inter-state boundary areas was raised by traditional heads and an organisation with the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Friday.
A delegation of United Hynniewtrep Movement (UHM) along with Sordars (traditional heads) of three villages, Langpih, Khanduli and Umwali met Tynsong to air their grievances to him.
Speaking to the reporters after meeting the Deputy CM, general secretary of UHM, Charlie J. Rani said, “The officials from Assam would visit our homes for spot land registration which is done for free. Assam has gone ahead with the land registration, why not Meghalaya?”
In the memorandum to the Deputy CM, the UHM suggested the government to give free land registration to the people residing in the border areas and for the officials to start field work regarding land registration.
Besides, the UHM has also demanded compensation for the victims injured in the alleged lathi-charge by Assam police on February 14, 2019 at Umwali.
Rani said the government had deployed personnel from Meghalaya police battalions following the February 14 incident but urged to step up deployment police battalion personnel in all border areas which are prone to such unwarranted incidents.
Sordar of Umwali, Mebarlin Syiemiong said the situation in Umwali had calmed down but raised apprehensions about the dominance of a non-tribal community.
Meanwhile, sordar of Langpih, Swingly Samaha said the government should have deployed two police battalions.
He said the people of Langpih possessed land documents from the state of Meghalaya and wanted to be in Meghalaya and not Assam.
It may be mentioned that Langpih and Khanduli are among the 12 areas of differences between Meghalaya and Assam.
