SHILLONG, April 21: NPP leader and Phulbari MLA, SG Esmatur Mominin, on Wednesday said that all efforts are on to see that the demand for a separate district in West Garo Hills, comprising the plain belt, is realised.
“There is a need for a separate district but there are some criteria. The government will have to first upgrade the block to a sub-division; it is after that the government will go for a district,” said Mominin on the status of the demand for a separate district.
Making it clear that under the current circumstances, the demand right now may not be possible, he said, “As of now, if we directly demand for a plain belt district, it may not be possible for the government as many criteria remain unfulfilled”.
Informing that he has exhorted Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to upgrade Dadenggre to a district and Demdema block to a sub-division, Mominin said, “It is only after the upgrade of sub-division and blocks we can try and request for a district”.
It may be mentioned that former Rajabala MLA, Dr Azad Zaman, had also pushed for the cause of a separate district in West Garo Hills with its headquarters at Rajpur.
The demand, however, drew ire from the Garo Students’ Union (GSU), who maintained that the demand goes against the wishes and the sentiments of the Garos. The GSU had also said that it will not let Garo Hills be further divided.
Alleging that the Garo community has become minority in areas like Rajabala, Phulbari, Bhaitbari and Chibinang, the Union had also exhorted the state government to let the Police department and NGOs conduct a checking drive in a bid to identify the bona fide residents of the plain belt areas.
