SHILLONG, Dec 20: The Coordination Committee on International Border (CCIB) – comprising the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) and the landowners – on Tuesday reiterated that the fencing of the international boundary between Meghalaya and Bangladesh should be either from the zero line or the boundary pillar.
The CCIB is opposing the construction of the border fencing 150 yards away from the zero line.
“We are not against the border fencing. But we want the fencing to be erected on the zero line or the boundary pillar,” CCIB chairman Sukkynjai Myrchiang told reporters here.
He mentioned that the district administration of West Jaintia Hills had visited Rhongkong village under Amlarem Sub-Division on December 3 with the intention of starting the fencing work.
The CCIB chairman said the district officials revealed that they had received a no objection certificate (NOC) from one Wanshalan Dhar to start the fencing work and his family had been paid adequate compensation.
He further informed that a total of 147 people own land in the border areas in West Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills and West Khasi Hills.
Myrchiang expressed surprise that the state government has decided to start the fencing work especially after the CCIB and the landowners had filed a petition in the High Court of Meghalaya on December 21 last year against the decision of the state and central government to erect the fence 150 yards inside the international boundary.
“This was the reason why we had gone to Rhongkong village to stop the ongoing fencing work,” he said.
The landowners are opposing the move since they stand to lose valuable arable land if the fencing is erected 150 yards inside Meghalaya territory.
