SHILLONG,MAY 7: Even as the Coordination Committee on International Border (CCIB) sought exemption for Meghalaya from the land swap agreement with neighbouring Bangladesh, the Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Constitution (119th Amendment) Bill, which will operationalise the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) between India and Bangladesh.
The passing of the bill will facilitate exchange of territory between the two neighbouring countries. On Wednesday the bill allowing exchanges of enclaves and retaining of land in adverse possessions that fall in Assam, West Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya, was approved in Rajya Sabha.
However the CCIB, consisting of the Khasi Students’ Union, Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People, Hynniewtrep National Youth Front, Federal Council of War Mihngi and War Jaintia, landowners and village councils, faxed a letter to union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju seeking exemption for Meghalaya from the bill.
Stating that the joint survey carried out by the Joint Boundary Working Group (JBWG) of India and Bangladesh in 2010-11 was “unsatisfactory”, the CCIB told Rijiju, “We cannot accept the boundary demarcation as per the existing pillars. This matter must be address and rectified before any new demarcation is carried out and the border fencing must be done from the Zero Line after due verification.”
According to the first report of the Standing Committee on External Affairs, which vetted the bill, areas in adverse possession to be acquired by Meghalaya amounted to 240.578 acres. However, under the deal, Meghalaya will have to transfer 41.702 acres of land in the Lobacherra-Nuncherra sector to Bangladesh.
The CCIB also asked Rijjiju about the fate of the remaining land under dispute. “The total land under adverse possession from Pillar No 1251 till 1299 (in Meghalaya sector) is 559.7 acres (without considering Ratacherra area). If 240.5 acres come to Meghalaya and 41.7 acres to Bangladesh, what about the remaining 278 acres of land that went missing?” the CCIB asked.- By Our Reporter
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