From Our Correspondent
Resubelpara, March 2: TMC leader, Mukul Sangma on Saturday launched a signature campaign demanding a high-level probe into the smuggling of areca nuts from Bangladesh through the border areas of Meghalaya.
The opposition leader urged everyone to come forward and sign the petition that will go through the entire state for signatures for a week after which it will be taken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The former chief minister has termed the continued smuggling of areca nut a case of ‘mal-governance’ which needed to be thoroughly probed.
“We want everyone cutting across party lines to understand the plight of betel nut farmers and sign the petition which will be taken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and we have trust in the prime minister’s adage of ‘Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga’, Mukul Sangma said at a meeting in Mendipathar on Saturday.
The petition sought the need to involve a Central, independent agency as the matter is of international significance.
The petition included a demand for an independent probe as well as the persecution of those behind the racket under the ambit of the law.
Mukul was joined in the programme by MDCs, Cherak Momin, Rinaldo K Sangma, and Pardinand D Shira while also being the first to sign the petition.
The TMC legislature had earlier raised the matter in the recently concluded Assembly session where he stated that the farmers of the state would have no option but to dump the fruit in front of the state Secretariat.
“There have been various reports including whistle-blowers, who have stated the obvious on the illegal import of betel nuts from Bangladesh but the state and district administrations have refused to budge on the issue,” said Mukul on Saturday.
While the illegal trade has been going on for some time now, the impact is currently being felt in various markets across Garo Hills, he added.
The entry of the ‘illegal’ betel nuts from outside has exploited the market for the local areca nuts to a great extend affecting the farmers at large.
Betel nuts which were once at or over Rs 6000 per bag have now come down to Rs 3000 in almost all the markets across the Garo Hills region. Despite the low rates, there were no buyers due to the availability of the ‘illegal’ areca nuts.
Mukul said reports of the illegal importation of betel nuts were doing the rounds and upon closer investigation, it was found that indeed markets in Assam, which sustained the entire betel nut farming community, were flooded with high quantities of ‘illegal’ betel nuts, bought at a lower rate. This had impacted the entire value chain with the farmer being at the receiving end.
‘The transfer of North Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Kumari Mithali Chandra, a day after she ordered an inquiry following a complaint, was a clear indicator that the government was unwilling to stop the illegal activities in the state,’ he said.
“No one other than the chief minister can transfer a magistrate. You just have to read between the lines to know what is happening and that too with such impunity. We have given them a year to show they are willing to work for people but this is a clear-cut case of mal-governance and encouragement to smuggling for our youth,” he felt.
