From Our Correspondent
TURA, Aug 24: The Garo Students’ Union (GSU) along with the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) have sought from the government the immediate creation of a Special Task Force (STF) as well as the setting up of infiltration check gates to check the rampant influx of outsiders into Garo Hills.
The two organisations on Saturday paid a visit to the vulnerable border areas of South West Garo Hills and Deputy Commissioner Hema Nayak to discuss the matter. During their visit to the influx-prone areas, the groups said they found that many areas under the Sixth Schedule have been encroached upon by illegal migrants from Bangladesh and Assam.
According to GSU president Tengsak G. Momin, the seriousness of the situation was acknowledged by the South West Garo Hills deputy commissioner during their meeting who informed them that checking is being done although more information was needed.
“Checking only the roads and highways is not doing any good because many people are hiding them (infiltrators) in their own homes as they belong to the same community. There are also cases of local Nokmas providing documents to the outsiders by vouching for their identities as long time residents of their plots,” the groups said quoting the DC.
Reminding of the direction given by the central government to constitute special task forces to all state governments to combat illegal influx, Tengsak questioned if an order for the same had even been issued by the Meghalaya government and if not, why it was in slumber.
“The Meghalaya government is simply not working on the issue. Just like the KSU in Khasi Hills, the GSU is also undertaking frequent checks to detect illegal encroachers. We will be continuing with the checking as well as taking steps to pressure the administration to act,” Tengsak said, adding that it could even go to the extent of resorting to agitation on the issue.
Meanwhile, echoing the GSU leader’s view on the matter, a NESO spokesperson said that the STF should have long been constituted to check the rampant and increasing illegal influx into the state.
“I want to request the state government to immediately constitute the STF as per the direction given by the central government. It should immediately work towards checking and detecting the illegal outsiders as well as ensure they are deported to their own countries,” the NESO leader said.