By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 15: With the second phase of interstate border talks between Meghalaya and Assam at hand, the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has suggested the state government to not repeat its “mistake” from the first phase of border talks and take into confidence all stakeholders.
“In the first phase, we witnessed disappointment and disagreement with regard to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Assam and Meghalaya, and we believe and hope so the government should learn from the mistake of the first phase and not repeat it in the second phase of the border-solving process,” said KSU president Lambokstar Marngar here on Saturday.
Informing that the KSU had even called on Chief Minister Conrad Sangma before the constitution of the regional committees, Marngar said, “We had made it clear that the state government should take on board all stakeholders, especially the Dorbar Shnongs in the border areas, Himas, Syiems as well as civil society groups. We believe the government should understand and take the suggestions from them, especially those residing on the border areas.”
Asking the state government to abstain from rushing to any border decision, he suggested that it should examine the suggestions thoroughly “because the concerns of the stakeholders are of utmost importance”.
It may be mentioned that the state government had recently constituted three regional committees for the second phase of boundary talks in the remaining six areas of differences between Meghalaya and Assam.
CEMs and EMs of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council have been co-opted as members in the three committees.
According to the state government, the three regional committees will examine the present status of the six remaining areas of differences in Langpih (West Khasi Hills); Borduar, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Desh Doomreah and Block-II (Ri-Bhoi) and Block-I and Psiar-Khanduli (West Jaintia Hills).
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong will be the Chairman of the Ri-Bhoi district regional committee, Cabinet Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar will be the Chairman of West Khasi Hills district regional committee while Cabinet Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar will lead the West Jaintia Hills panel.
These committees are set to cross-reference and verify the names of villages (sub-villages) claimed by Meghalaya with the names of villages as per records of the Assam government, to establish the geographical location of the villages and their contiguity, to examine the status of the population of villages as per census records including ethnicity.
The committees will also visit each of the villages, and interact with the communities living in the villages including the elected representatives of the Autonomous District Councils and other stakeholders to learn about the perception of the people living in the area.
They will also document the factual information regarding the physical and time-wise distances from the villages to the nearest public service delivery point/ administrative unit.