TURA: The Tengsak Momin- led faction of the GSU, while alleging officials from neighbouring Assam of perpetrating encroachment in Garo Hills, has urged the state government to intervene on the issue. According to the union, the alleged encroachment is taking place in Moishaldanga region of West Garo Hills. “On preliminary investigations, we received information that on May 18, a team consisting of Lad Mondol and Nurul Islam from South Salmara District (Assam) accompanied by the police team of Kalapani and a contingent of CRPF from Singimari entered Moishaldanga (Meghalaya) about 3-4 km from Pipulbari and forcibly claimed around 68 bighas of land as part of Assam. As per the reports, the team was sent under the auspices of Saibar Rahman, ADC, South Salmara District,” the union said. According to the allegation, already 40 bighas of land has been allotted to 20 people (for a sum of 2 lakh per bigha) from Assam and the rest of the land is to be distributed soon.
The union claimed that Assam officials have already proceeded to put up posts and named one, Abul Hanif, of acting as a middleman to identify lands for gains in cash or kind. “The land, being illegally occupied, belongs to three Meghalaya citizens who have a patta for the land from the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council and have been paying taxes for it. When the owners of the land produced the documents that the land belonged to them and that it was part of Meghalaya it was simply declared as fake documents, completely disregarding the GHADC,” the GSU said. Claiming that the union possessed photos and videos to prove the involvement of the officials from Assam, the union urged the government to intervene so that the situation does not escalate in the border area.