TURA: Garo organisations have raised concerns over the rising cases of illegal influx from neighbouring Assam into Garobadha and Ampati of South West Garo Hills district and have sought early intervention by the administration to stop it.
A delegation of members of the organisations — the GSU, the FKJGP, the A’chik Youth Welfare Organisation (AYWO), the Association for Democracy and Empowerment (ADE) and the Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC) — made a representation to the district police chief in Ampati on Monday to highlight the problems being faced by locals due to illegal occupation of land by people from Assam’s Mankachar.
South West Garo Hills with its headquarters in Ampati shares a long inter-state border with Assam and Bangladesh. The delegation pointed out that the Assam residents are also carrying out trade and commerce without paying tax to the Government of Meghalaya. The “illegal activities” are rampant at Mirzamula and Takonbari villages, which lie close to Mankachar.
“The activities need to be probed. There is a fear that gradually they will settle down and claim the land as their own taking advantage of the poor border demarcation between Assam and Meghalaya in the Garo Hills region,” said GHSMC leader Ryan Marak during the meeting with Ampati police officials.
The alleged illegal occupation of land by people from Assam near the Katuligre village of Boldamgre, close to the Assam border was raised. The delegation sought eviction at the earliest. The members also mentioned about a fuel station that has come up in an alleged disputed area in the district.
District police chief Ramesh Singh told the delegation that the issue was related to land, which was a civil case, and a formal complaint should be lodged by the affected people following which necessary action could be initiated.
