By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 6: The Ri-Bhoi regional committee on boundary dispute will lay special thrust on staking claim on the 22 villages in Block II area. The panel awaits a date for the next meeting and joint inspection from its Assam counterpart.
“The thrust will be laid on getting 22 villages, specifically in Block-II, back because most of the settlement there is of our people. It falls under Raid Nongtung, Khyriem Syiemnship,” said UDP leader and member of the Ri-Bhoi regional committee, Mayralborn Syiem.
Highlighting that the settlement has to be based on the five laid down parameters, Syiem said to the extent possible, the talks have to be cordial and a solution must be arrived at amicably. “As mentioned before, we have to keep in the mind the discussions have to based on para 20 of the Sixth Schedule,” he added.
Asked whether the date for the meeting and joint inspection of the regional committees of both the states have been finalised, Syiem said, “We are waiting for the date of the meeting. Most probably it will be within January. We are ready since last year but no communication has been received from the Assam counterpart yet”.
He said, “The spot inspection has to be from both side. We cannot go on our own but the groundwork we are doing individually as the chairman has instructed us to do so to know the ground reality and we are prepared for that”.
The spot inspection and the meeting between the representatives’ of the regional committees of both the states have been due for many months now.
Earlier, the meeting and spot inspection was scheduled to be held after the Autumn Session of the Assembly. It was however postponed. Then it was expected to happen after Puja holidays. Come December and the meeting is yet again postponed and rescheduled for January.
Out of the six places of dispute to be taken up in the second phase of border talks, four are in Ri-Bhoi — Desh Domrea, Block-II, Borduar, and Nongwah Mawtammur.