By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 8: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday assured that the state government would do justice to the reports submitted by the regional border committees of the Ri-Bhoi and West Khasi Hills districts and would ensure that the long-pending boundary dispute is resolved.
Speaking to reporters after formally receiving two reports, he said the government will call the stakeholders to seek their opinion after going through the reports and then hold discussions with Assam.
Hailing the border committees for visiting the remote locations, Sangma said government-appointed committees going to the interior areas for joint inspection has been unprecedented in Meghalaya.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Ri-Bhoi and West Khasi Hills regional committees submitted their reports to the CM with their recommendations to resolve the interstate boundary dispute with Assam.
The Ri-Bhoi committee led by its chairman and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong submitted the first report followed by the West Khasi Hills panel headed by PHE Minister Renikton L Tongkhar.
The government had granted the regional committee of East Jaintia Hills headed by Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar an extension till December 15 to submit its report.
After submitting the report, Tynsong told reporters that the ball is now in the court of the two chief ministers of the neighbouring states, who have to examine the reports for a solution to the long-pending issue.
It was decided during the last chief minister-level meeting that the respective regional committees would submit their report separately to the two CMs, he said.
Tynsong said the reporters were submitted according to the terms of reference agreed upon by both the chief ministers.
Asked if the six areas of differences can be resolved within this month, the deputy CM said that the best person to put this question is to the chief minister.
“The mandate of the regional committees was only to prepare the report after the join inspection, and we did so. We look forward to both the chief ministers sitting down immediately and taking a decision,” he said.
On the views of the people during the joint inspection, he said some prefer to go with Assam while some want to be in Meghalaya.
Stating that the views and willingness of the people are important, he said other factors such as history and geography also need to be taken into account. He added that the question of the give-and-take policy does not arise since it is beyond the terms of reference.
Tynsong said Sangma will hold a meeting with all the stakeholders – political parties, pressure groups, traditional heads, ADCs, etc. – before meeting his Assam counterpart.
“I am not aware whether the regional committees of Assam have submitted their reports,” he said, insisting he cannot divulge the recommendations of the committee now.
Tongkhar said it is for the state government to convene the state-level meeting to examine the report of the regional committees.
“We hope the government will be able to persuade the Assam government based on the report which has been submitted. I am hopeful there will be a positive response from both the state governments to settle the problems of the people residing along the interstate border,” he said.
“I hope a solution will be for the betterment of people in the border areas,” Tongkhar said.