SHILLONG, July 28: Congress MLA, Mayralborn Syiem has asked the state government to convene a special session of the Assembly to discuss the interstate boundary issue.
The legislator from Nongpoh expressed concern that the Assam Police had on July 25 forcibly removed electric poles erected by Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited at Iongkhuli.
Syiem said the government should immediately convene the special session of the Assembly to discuss the prevailing situation on the interstate border “where our people are living in fear.”
He said the state’s three Autonomous District Councils should also convene a similar session. He said he will soon write to the Assembly Speaker and the ADCs.
The MLA said the special session will be of utmost importance given that Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma is meeting his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma on August 6 in Guwahati to discuss the border issue.
The trouble at Iongkhuli in Ri Bhoi occurred just days after the two CMs had met in Shillong and discussed the border issue. Both states agreed to travel beyond status quo as they start resolving the dispute.
KHADC team to visit disputed area
A team of KHADC MDCs and officers would visit Iongkhuli village on Saturday to assess the ground situation and to collect feedback from the locals on the situation.
KHADC CEM, Titosstarwell Chyne, who met Mawhati MDC Charles Marngar on Wednesday, said the team will call the Syiem of Mylliem and Syiem of Raid Marwet to verify the land documents.
Chyne also dismissed a statement by Assam police that they have the documents to prove that the land belongs to them and asserted that the village is not disputed and the area belongs to Meghalaya.
“This is an act of encroachment by Assam police,” the CEM added.
The KSU accused the Assam government of adopting “double standards.”
“We feel the Assam government is adopting double standards. If they are really serious about solving the problem, they should respect the sentiments and desire as demonstrated by Meghalaya,” KSU president, Lambokstar Marngar said on Wednesday.
He said both governments have already shown their keenness on finding a solution across 12 disputed areas. He said the Assam CM had also spoken about the maintenance of status quo.
“But we are surprised that after a few days of the meeting, the Iongkhuli incident happened,” he said.
Alleging aggression by Assam which also allegedly did not respect the district administration and the local MDC, Marngar said, “We have witnessed time and again that it is always the Assam government that uses force.”
Recalling that the lives of four persons were lost at Langpih in 2010, he said, “We do not want such incidents to continue. Both governments must have a political will to resolve the issue. We are hopeful they will respect each other and do what was discussed at the CM-level level talks.”
On the give and take policy as suggested by the Assam CM, Marngar said it is not wise to decide only from the secretariat.
“The government should form a committee, hold consultative meetings and take into confidence headmen and traditional heads and understand the problems of people. We have suggested these steps to the government. Hopefully, the government will take these up before taking the final decision,” the KSU president added.
