SHILLONG: After a series of tension and flare-ups at Langpih, a disputed area along the Meghalaya-Assam border, in the past, a long-term solution has been a highly-sought-for proposition in the state.
In connection with this, the KHADC, in its Budget session, had said that it would set up a police outpost at Langpih, so as to claim sovereignty over the area. However, Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, on Tuesday, said that “it is too premature to talk about the setting up of police outpost by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) at Langpih”, adding that policing is a matter of the state government.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, he said that the decision of the KHADC to set up the police outpost at Langpih has to be checked as the Council has not sent any proposal so far.
“The government has no comments on this as the proposal on their details has not reached us yet. We cannot say that we will welcome it or not as we have not seen the details so far. Unless we get the report from them, we cannot say anything as of now. It is too premature to comment unless they come up with a complete proposal,” he said.
He said that the KHADC can take decisions in matters within its jurisdiction, but policing is a matter of the state government.
On KHADC speaking about establishing their assets along the border areas to assert its authority there, Rymbui said the state government has sanctioned projects in border areas such as road projects, schools, etc.
Optimistically, he said the state will be able to narrow down the areas of differences so that residents in the border areas will feel secure through the dialogues.
On the other hand, Rymbui said that out of the central funds, the state government would renovate existing police outpost and improve the infrastructure of the new outposts.