Instances of illegal immigration, drug abuse, and other unlawful activities have come to the Board’s notice. We are planning a joint inspection with stakeholders
SHILLONG, March 11: Amid growing concerns over the presence of illegal immigrants in areas under the jurisdiction of the Shillong Cantonment Board, the Board has decided to identify and act against such encroachments. A joint inspection, set to take place in the coming days, is expected to help pinpoint holdings where illegal immigrants are reportedly taking shelter.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Tuesday, Shillong Cantonment Board CEO Ayush Maurya confirmed that instances of illegal immigration, drug abuse, and other unlawful activities have come to the Board’s notice.
“We are planning a joint inspection with stakeholders, including the state government, as soon as possible,” Maurya said, adding that the inspection is expected to take place within this week or early next week.
The joint inspection was initially scheduled earlier but was delayed due to the MDC elections.
Through this initiative, the Board aims to identify hotspots where illegal immigrants are residing. Following the inspection, authorities will determine the necessary course of action, which could include installing CCTV cameras or conducting further physical inspections on the ground.
Currently, the Shillong Cantonment Board maintains records of all lessee holders; however, tenant records are yet to be updated. “We will be carrying out a series of exercises in the coming days to identify gaps in our records,” Maurya stated.
He emphasised that only lessee holders and registered tenants are permitted to reside in the cantonment area, while traders have been issued trading licenses.
“There may be some holdings where illegal settlers have taken shelter. We will identify and scrutinize those locations,” he added.
Earlier, several pressure groups had petitioned the Shillong Cantonment Board, demanding the eviction of illegal settlers from a plot of land opposite the Bara Bazaar Fire and Emergency Service Station at Lum Survey.