By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 17: Congress MP from Tura, Saleng A Sangma on Thursday came down heavily on the state government for “unchecked illegal trade and smuggling activities” along Meghalaya’s border with Bangladesh.
He said the continuing inaction is not only fuelling the state’s drug crisis but also endangering public health, with children now falling victim to HIV infections.
Raising concerns over the deteriorating situation, Saleng said, “There might be a lot of smuggling from India to Bangladesh and vice versa, and the number of drug users has increased to more than 3 lakh within these years. A major concern in Meghalaya is the HIV infection among children.”
He asked why the government has failed to address the rampant illegal stone quarrying and cross-border smuggling, apart from illegal coal mining and transportation.
The MP said he would visit the vulnerable border areas and convene a joint meeting involving Customs and BSF officials and district commissioners to assess the situation.
He criticised the “unjust” attempts to undermine Justice (retired) BP Katakey’s court-directed inquiry into the illegal coal mining.
He said the government should wait for the retired judge to complete his probe. “Trying to push him out seems to be an injustice,” he added.
Meghalaya’s 443-km international border with Bangladesh has long been a conduit for illegal activities, ranging from the smuggling of cattle, drugs, coal, and stone to narcotic substances.
While official statements have repeatedly claimed strict border vigilance, illegal operations have continued, allegedly abetted by gaps in enforcement and a lack of political will.
Simultaneously, the state has seen a surge in drug dependency, with synthetic substances like heroin, Yaba tablets, and methamphetamine being trafficked in large quantities.
Civil society groups and government estimates suggest that the number of drug users has soared in recent years. The accompanying rise in HIV infections, particularly among vulnerable groups and children, has triggered serious concern among health officials and activists.