Members of the three regional committees set up by the State government to examine and recommend the boundary settlement in Ri-Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills are likely to visit the disputed border areas after the conclusion of the budget session of the Assembly.
The budget session which commenced on March 20 will conclude on March 28 with the passing of the State budget for 2023-2024.
It may be mentioned that the State government has directed the three regional committees to submit their reports to the government within a period of 45 days from March 24 which is the date of the notification regarding setting up of the committees.
The reports will be 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.
The State government has reconstituted the three regional committees to examine the present status of the remaining six areas of differences which include Langpih in West Khasi Hills; Borduar, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Deshdoomreah and Block-II in Ri Bhoi; Block- I, Psiar – Khanduli in West Jaintia Hills.
For Ri Bhoi, the committee consists of Prestone Tynsong, Deputy Chief Minister as chairperson. The members are Jirang MLA Sosthenes Sohtun, Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem, Umroi MLA Damanbait Lamare, Mawhati MLA Charles Marngar, KHADC Executive Member Jambor War. Deputy Commissioner, Ri Bhoi District is the member convenor.
For West Khasi Hills, the committee consists of cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh as the chairperson. The members are Mawkyrwat MLA Renikton L. Tongkhar, Mawshynrut MLA Methodious Dkhar, MLA Mawshynrut Constituency, Rambrai-Jyrngam MLA Remington Gabil Momin, KHADC Deputy Chief Executive Member Gigur Myrthong, and Rambrai-Jyrngam MDC Bajop Pyngrope. Deputy Commissioner, West Khasi Hills District is the member convenor.
For West Jaintia Hills, the committee consists of Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar as chairperson. The members are cabinet minister Comingone Ymbon, Amlarem MLA Lahkmen Rymbui, Mowkaiaw MLA Nujorki Sungoh, JHADC Chief Executive Member Thombor Shiwat, and Barato-Mukroh MDC Aiborlang Shadap. The Deputy Commissioner, West Jaintia Hills is the member convenor.
The terms of reference of the three regional committees is to coordinate with the relevant regional committees set up by the Assam government, to cross-reference and verify the names of the villages (sub-villages) claimed by Meghalaya with the names of villages as per records of Government of Assam, to establish the geographical location of the villages and their contiguity.
The committees will examine the status of population of villages as per census records including ethnicity and to prepare an ‘As-Is’ public asset register in the villages, created by both the state governments. They 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 and 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 Committee can co-opt any member whenever necessary.
In terms of logistics and secretarial support, the jurisdictional Deputy Commissioners will provide all the secretarial and logistic support for effective functioning of the committees. DCs as the member convenors of the respective committee will fix the date of visit and discussion in consultation with their respective counterparts in Assam.
