By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 14: The Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) has once again reiterated its firm opposition to the proposed railway survey in East Jaintia Hills, while urging the Meghalaya government to move beyond repeated assurances and take concrete action to regulate influx into the state.
FKJGP president Dundee Khongsit said the organisation had consistently opposed the railway project and would not allow it to proceed under the current circumstances.
He explained that Meghalaya currently lacks effective mechanisms to monitor or control the movement of people from outside, warning that the railway project could exacerbate influx-related challenges.
He reiterated that any infrastructure development must be preceded by effective mechanisms to manage population movement.
He stressed that without these safeguards, allowing the railway project to proceed would be unacceptable, as it could further strain local resources and impact the demographic balance in sensitive regions.
Khongsit noted that issuing public notices alone was insufficient to protect indigenous communities in the absence of any concrete plans or safeguards.
Khongsit also highlighted that the implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), intended to regulate population influx and protect local interests, remained incomplete.
He said that the government had shifted responsibility for enforcement to the district administrations, which faced their own limitations and lacked adequate resources to carry out the provisions of the Act. He stressed that if the government was truly determined to check influx, it should take full responsibility for enforcing MRSSA comprehensively rather than relying on decentralised mechanisms.
The FKJGP president further explained that proper implementation of the MRSSA required robust infrastructure, including computers, enrolment systems, and trained personnel. He pointed out that many districts did not possess these facilities, making it difficult to maintain accurate records of incoming people.
Khongsit cited continued influx in some areas, noting that organisations on the ground frequently encountered cases of unregulated entry.
He said the time for assurances and public statements had passed, and that the government must now take decisive action to implement MRSSA fully, regulate influx, and protect indigenous communities.
Khongsit emphasised that such measures were critical not only to enforce the Act but also to ensure that local communities’ interests were safeguarded in areas affected by migration and influx.
