SHILLONG: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) will take a final call on the Indo-Bangla border fencing after convening a meeting with all stakeholders on May 5.
KHADC CEM P.N Syiem, who held a meeting with members of the Coordination Committee on International Boundary (CCIB) here on Tuesday, told media persons that all village heads and landowners from Nongjri to Mukertila have been requested to attend the meeting on May 5.
“The outcome of the meeting will be communicated to the Centre and the State Government for necessary consideration,” he told reporters.
Referring to the Land Compensation Act, 2013, “which clearly states that the District Council must be taken into consideration”, Syiem said the Centre and the State have to understand that they cannot take any decision without the consent of the people because of the land tenure system in tribal Meghalaya.
The CEM added that most of the stakeholders who attended Wednesday’s meeting were opposed to the construction of the fencing from 150 yards.
CCIB general secretary Kmen Myrchiang said owners of most of the cultivable land, which falls within 150 yards if fencing is constructed, have valid land documents. Reiterating that huge chunk of land will go to Bangladesh, he said the boundary should be laid again before going ahead with fencing.
Rubbishing the claim of the government that Meghalaya would gain over 240 acres of land, Myrchiang alleged that the protocol agreement is good in theory but practically the State will lose nearly 600 acres.
