• NET Web Desk

The three regional committees constituted by the Meghalaya Government will soon meet with all concerned parties, including traditional leaders and Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), before conducting a joint inspection along the remaining six areas of disagreement.

Addressing the mediapersons on Thursday, the Deputy Chief Minister – Prestone Tynsong shared that the meeting will take place after the Puja holidays.

“The regional committee members will first meet to decide when to invite the direct stakeholders, such as headmen/syiems or ADCs, since they are already members of the committees. When that’s done, we’ll head back down to the ground for conducting an inspection,” – he stated.

The Meghalaya Government on September 26 has constituted three regional committees to examine the status of the remaining six areas of differences shared with Assam; and submit their report within 45 days.

These six areas of differences include – Langpih in West Khasi Hills District, Borduar, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Deshdoomreah, Block-II in Ri Bhoi district and Block-I, Psiar-Khanduli in West Jaintia Hills district.

According to a notification issued by the Chief Secretary – DP Wahlang, the six-member regional committee for Ri Bhoi District will be headed by the Deputy Chief Minister – Prestone Tynsong; Regional Committee for West Khasi Hills District by cabinet minister – Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar; and regional committee for West Jaintia Hills District by cabinet minister – Sniawbhalang Dhar.

“The committees will submit their report to the Government of Meghalaya within a period of 45 days from the date of this notification, based on the inspection of the villages and based on the agreed yardsticks of historical perspective, ethnicity of the local population, administrative convenience of local people, contiguity with the boundary and the perception of the people living in the area,” it added.

Its worthy to note that the Assam Chief Minister – Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart – Conrad Sangma recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to resolve the border dispute between the two states.

In order to settle the border disputes, Assam & Meghalaya government focused on 5 aspects – historical facts, ethnicity, administrative convenience, contiguity of the land, willingness and people’s sentiments.

Based on the same, the regional committees were tasked with the responsibility of making joint visits to “areas of differences” along the inter-state border, thereby interacting with all stakeholders, village heads, record their views, and finally submit their reports.

Out of 12 disputed locations, in the first phase, 6 disputed locations were mutually studied – Tarabari, Gizang, Fahala, Baklapara, Khanapara (Pilingkata) and Ratacherra. These areas fall under Cachar, Kamrup and Kamrup Metropolitan districts of Assam and West Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya.