After nearly a month that the chief ministers of Meghalaya and Assam decided to start the second phase of boundary settlement in the remaining six areas of differences, the Meghalaya government today constituted three regional committees to carry out the process.
In a notification issued today, the Meghalaya government said that the three regional committees will examine the present status of the remaining six areas of differences in Langpih in West Khasi Hills district; Borduar, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Deshdoomreah, Block-II in Ri-Bhoi district; Block-I, Psiar-Khanduli in West Jaintia Hills district.
The regional committee for Ri-Bhoi district is headed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong as chairman. The members are cabinet minister Dasakhiatbha Lamare, Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem, KHADC Executive Member (Elaka Administration) Jambor War and Umroi MDC Rangkynsai Kharbuki.
The regional committee for West Khasi Hills is headed by cabinet minister Renikton L. Tongkhar as chairman. The members are Nongstoin MLA Macmillan Byrsat, Rambrai-Jyrngam MLA Kimfa S. Marbaniang, KHADC Deputy Chief Executive Member Gigur Myrthong and Rambrai-Jyrngam MDC Bajop Pyngrope.
The regional committee for West Jaintia Hills is headed by cabinet minister Sniawbhalang Dhar as chairman. The members are cabinet minister Lahkmen Rymbui, Raliang MLA Comingone Ymbon, Mowkaiaw MLA Nujorki Sungoh and JHADC Chief Executive Member Thombor Shiwat.
The Deputy Commissioner of the respective districts will be the Member Convener of the regional committees.
The regional committees constituted by the Meghalaya government will coordinate with the relevant regional committee set up by the Assam government.
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, to document the factual information regarding the physical and time-wise distances from the villages to the nearest public service delivery point/ administrative unit.
The three regional committees have been asked to submit their report to the Meghalaya government within a period of 45 days from today “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”.
On March 29, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma signed an agreement to end their five-decade-old border dispute in six of the 12 disputed locations. The agreement was signed in New Delhi in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
