New forum prods councils to resolve border dispute

SHILLONG: The Hynniewtrep Border Dispute Redressal Forum has suggested compilation of necessary documents of villages in inter-state border areas by the Autonomous District Councils.
Addressing the press on Monday, spokesperson of the forum, Thomas Passah, said the forum has requested the Autonomous District Councils of Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills to collect documents of villages in border areas within one month.
The forum has asked for the map of areas in KHADC, names of disputed areas with Assam, names of villages in the inter-state border and names of traditional heads of the villages.
He said that the forum will bring together the residents of different villages in the inter-state border areas.
Passah said that the aim of the forum is to resolve the border dispute and to ensure that development reaches the border areas as he observed that people in these areas are deprived of basic amenities in violation of their human rights.
“People in the border villages prefer Assam to Meghalaya because the latter is giving them step-motherly treatment unlike Assam government that takes developmental activities to the doorstep of the people,” Passah said.
According to him, in areas of dispute between Meghalaya and Assam, the Centre should provide direct funding to ensure that people get government facilities.
“There is no development in the border areas and the people are suffering. It is the violation of human rights,” he said adding that public representatives from the border areas should concentrate on development.
Passah also suggested that there should be on-spot free registration of land for people in the border areas of Meghalaya to be done through the District Councils.
In this connection, the forum has met the Chief Executive Members (CEMs) of KHADC and JHADC.