SHILLONG, Oct 12: Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Wednesday said the state government will try to address the concerns of border residents while moving ahead with the second phase of boundary talks with the Assam government.
He told reporters that both states are committed to resolving their long-pending boundary dispute once and for all.
“We will try to resolve the boundary dispute by giving priority to the consent and will of the people residing on the border. We fully understand that it is not an easy task since a lot of factors are involved,” the minister said.
He disclosed that the regional committee for Jaintia Hills had a formal meeting on October 6. “We are preparing the groundwork for the second phase of the boundary talks,” Rymbui added.
The state government constituted three regional committees last month to examine the status of the dispute in the “remaining” six areas in Langpih (West Khasi Hills), Borduar, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Desh Doomreah and Block-II (Ri-Bhoi) and Block-I and Psiar-Khanduli (West Jaintia Hills).
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong is the chairman of the Ri-Bhoi committee. Cabinet Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar is heading the West Khasi Hills committee while Cabinet Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar is leading the West Jaintia Hills panel.
The committees will coordinate with the relevant regional panels set up by the Assam government.
They will submit their reports to the Meghalaya government within 45 days based on the inspection of the villages and agreed yardsticks of historical perspective, ethnicity of local population, administrative convenience of local people, contiguity with the boundary and the perception of the people living in the area.
‘State should not lose an inch of land to Assam’
Nongpoh MLA and member of the regional border committee of Ri-Bhoi, Mayralborn Syiem, on Wednesday, asserted that the state should not lose even an inch of its land to Assam, while emphasizing that any decision to be taken has to be as per Para 20 of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
“Land is a very sensitive issue and everyone is concerned. We should not lose land not even an inch to our neighboring state,” said Syiem.
He said, “Keeping in mind all the instances that have happened, any decision we are going to take it has to be as per Para 20 of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. We have to base on it and in consultation with district council, Himas, Raids, Rangbah Shnongs, civil society and pressure groups”.
Stating that he feels privileged to be a member of the regional committee, Syiem said, “We will try our best to take along all the stakeholders”.
“We have to carefully examine the concerns of the people of the state and have to go with positive thinking and we hope to resolve the issue as soon as possible,” he added.
Pointed out that the West Khasi Hills District and Jaintia Hills regional committees on border have already begun the process of holding meetings, the Nongpoh MLA said that he is yet to receive any notification for the district even as he added that it depends on the chairman of the Ri-Bhoi committee, Prestone Tynsong, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister.
The state government had constituted three regional committees to examine the second phase of the boundary settlement in the remaining six areas of difference.
The second phase consists of areas such as Langpih in West Khasi Hills district; Borduar, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Deshdoomreah, and Block-ll, in Ri-Bhoi district; Block-l and Psiar-Khanduli in West Jaintia Hills district.
