From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: The awareness campaign on National Register of Citizens (NRC) conducted by the Garo National Council (GNC), Kamrup district unit, is already reaping dividends a month after it was carried out across various locations near the Assam-Meghalaya border.
According to an estimate provided by GNC, the names of about 500 Garo border villagers in Kamrup district have been excluded from the final NRC list which was released on August 31 last.
“The campaign was primarily conducted across four locations even as we have been urging people to apply for inclusion. So far, we estimate about 50 per cent of the excluded villagers would have undergone the process and done what was needed of them,” GNC Kamrup district president, Anindro Marak, told The Shillong Times on Thursday.
The GNC had on September 18 embarked on the campaign across the Garo-dominated villages along the Assam-Meghalaya border to also make people aware of the process of appeals in foreigners’ tribunals.
The first such awareness meeting was held at Hahim followed by the second at Ukiam under Chaygaon constituency.
“According to information, the progress at Hahim has been rather tardy compared to Ukiam, Santipur (near Bamunigaon) and Nadiapara in the Gohalkona area. Lack of adequate infrastructure, communication facilities and phone/Internet network are limitations the villagers have to cope with though,” Marak said.
Over 19 lakh people in Assam have been left out of the NRC final list and a time period of 120 days have been fixed for them to appeal in foreigners’ tribunals for their inclusion after they get their certified copies of the order from the authorities.
The GNC has been appealing to the left-out Garo villagers to make use of the time period for appeals in foreigners’ tribunals.