SHILLONG, Jan 23: Congress MLA, PT Sawkmie asked the government to clarify if it adopted the give-and-take policy to reach a solution in the six areas.
“According to reports, it seems there is a give-and-take policy which all of us are against in letter and spirit. Therefore, the government should clarify it,” Sawkmie said on Sunday.
Pointing out that as per the reports, the total area of dispute in the six locations is 36.79 sq km of which Meghalaya will get 18.28 sq km and Assam 18.51 sq km, Sawkmie said this suggests the two states have agreed on a ‘give-and-take’ policy.
He said the issue is sensitive and the public is unaware of the content of the sealed envelope. Therefore, he said, the state government should clarify what exactly the content is.
The final report of the regional committee for East Jaintia Hills had recommended that both states should use the Malidor river in East Jaintia Hills as the natural boundary and the authority over the river shall be taken up by both states on their own side.
The panel also suggested that it may be used only for domestic purposes and not for commercial purposes, as that may lead to soil erosion and other environmental hazards.
The report of the regional committee for Ri-Bhoi states the government does not want to claim all areas which formed erstwhile Khasi-Jaintia states but villages and areas in Sector 6 and 8 which are geographically contiguous to the Khasi states.
Sector 6 comes under Boklapara and it covers an area of 1.57 sq km including Boklapara, Jimbrigaon, Lynkhung and Hawla. Sector 8 comes under Khanapara-Pillangkata and it has an area of 0.6 sq km including Barapathar, Koinadhara, Maikhuli and Patharkuchi.
The committee has recommended the demarcation of the interstate boundary with pillars.
The joint inspection report of the two states on the three disputed sectors in West Khasi Hills pointed out that 32 out of the 34 villages want to be in Meghalaya.