By Our Reporter
Shillong: Leader of Opposition Conrad K Sangma on Friday demanded that the State Government should prevail upon the Assam Government to remove its border outpost at Khanduli in Jaintia Hills district.
Claiming that Khanduli is disputed to be under ‘adverse possession’, Sangma said that since Meghalaya does not have any border outpost there, Assam should also be told to remove its outpost from the area.
He suggested that there should be an agreement in place between the two States on the issue of maintaining border outposts in disputed areas.
“This would ensure that villagers from Meghalaya who are residing close to the Inter-State border are not harassed by Assam,” Sangma said.
In his reply, Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh admitted that Assam has a border outpost in Khanduli despite the area being under adverse possession.
Lyngdoh also denied that the State Government has any plan to set up an outpost in Khanduli.
“There is also no plan to shift the police out post from Saitsama to Khanduli,” he stated. On the reports that Assam police personnel were collecting tax from vehicles plying along the Khanduli-Lapangap road, the Home Minister replied, “A report to this effect was carried in a local newspaper after which the district administration was asked to take requisite action in the matter.”
The Home Minister also informed that the Superintendent of Police, Jaintia Hills had verified the matter with his Assam counterpart and found out that the incident had not occurred.
