SHILLONG, March 27: The vexed interstate border issue continues to resonate within the four walls of the Assembly in the light of recent claims by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma that Mukroh village falls within the jurisdiction of Karbi Anglong district of Assam.
With a view to ending the dispute once and for all, the VPP on Monday displayed a map of Meghalaya in the Assembly to thwart Assam’s claim over land belonging to Meghalaya.
VPP legislators Brightstarwell Marbaniang and Adelbert Nongrum helped party president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit in holding the map even as the party made it absolutely clear that all the land claimed by Assam belong to Meghalaya.
The incident happened during a short duration discussion moved by Congress legislator, Charles Marngar.
Referring to the map, Basaiawmoit said the interstate boundary between Meghalaya and Assam is in accordance with the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution.
According to him, the district boundary of South Garo Hills has been entered in accordance with the Meghalaya government’s notification issued on December 3, 1976 while the district boundary of Ri-Bhoi has been entered in accordance with a government notification issued on June 4, 1992.
“If one looks at this map it will show that all those areas which have been claimed by Assam are very much inside Meghalaya. We are ready to hand over this map to the government if it does not have one,” Basaiawmoit said.
He lamented that people living in the border areas continue to bear the brunt of government apathy, and added that Assam government was emboldened because political leaders of Meghalaya are not even aware of their own boundary.
“We fail to understand why the Meghalaya government is respecting the status quo when the Assam violates the same by undertaking construction work in our territory,” he said.
In his reply, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the state government was firm on the map and has not surrendered those areas to Assam.
He asked the members not to believe the narrative that only Assam was active in the areas of difference.
“Both sides are undertaking developmental work and this is the reason why tensions flare-up some times,” Sangma added.
Earlier, UDP legislator Mayralborn Syiem asked the state government to ensure that people living in the Assam border areas are safe and there is not a Mukroh-like incident again.
Tabling a call attention motion on Monday, the Nongstoin legislator said although an agreement was signed with the Assam government to resolve border disputes in six of the 12 areas, some issues remained. He said these should be addressed in the future.
Talking about the second phase of boundary talks, he said the residents of 14 villages are living in fear ever since a clash which broke out over the construction of a road in Nongwah Mawtamur village in the Jirang subdivision of Ri-Bhoi district.
“There should be regular patrolling by the police. The border magistrate should also visit the villages from time to time and meet the headmen. Police officials, not below the rank of Deputy SP, have to be deployed,” Syiem said.
He categorically stated that the safety and security of the people should be paramount.
“We do not want a Mukroh-like incident. We have to be proactive and prompt so that our people are safe,” he added.
In his reply, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said, “We are continuously engaging with our counterpart. We said as we try to find a solution to this very complicated problem, the safety and security of people in those areas must be ensured by both sides and that the different developmental activities there should not be stopped by either side.”
He said the government could go ahead with the developmental activities due to the continuous discussions taking place at different levels between both states.
Sangma also said that only a permanent solution will herald long-lasting peace in these areas of differences. He said all must work together to come to an amicable or the best solution.
“There is a strong effort from both governments to ensure that the safety and security of the citizens is maintained and any complex issue that may arise is resolved at the earliest,” the CM said.
He said he and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma communicate with each other whenever there is anything, big or small, and try to resolve it. ‘
He said the Meghalaya government has ensured that border outposts are created and there is sufficient manpower there. The officers in-charge have been asked to carry out continuous monitoring and patrolling. These steps were taken to build the confidence of people, he added.
The CM said the development activities in the border areas have continued unhindered. He said letters or agreements were signed between the chief ministers of both states in 2008 and 2010 to this effect.
He said it was categorically stated during the various border meetings that the implementation of the central projects should not be stopped by either side and there should be complete support.
Sangma said close to 26 central government schemes and other state government schemes are being implemented without any major problem in Ri-Bhoi district.
He said a 5-km road, being constructed by the PWD for PMGSY in Langpih 5, had faced some problem but the work resumed following discussions between the two CMs.
Mayralborn appealed to the members across party lines to work together in resolving the dispute in the remaining six areas, considered complicated.
