SHILLONG, SEPT 26: The conglomerate of traditional heads, landowners and ngos on Monday demanded that the state government put on hold the ongoing survey for construction of the proposed fencing along the international Indo-Bangla border.
They have also sought the immediate cancellation of the recent order imposing section 186 IPC, which prohibits anybody from obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions, in the border areas.
The order was issued by the deputy commissioner of West Jaintia hills Arunkumar Kembhavi upon which the survey was conducted from September 14 and will continue till September 31.
The delegation under the banner of the Coordination Committee on International Border (CCIB) has also threatened to take up agitation to protest against the government’s failure to ensure permanent settlement on this.
Addressing newsmen on Monday, CCIB spokesperson GH Kharshanlor said, “We protest the aggressive attitude of the DC to speed up the construction of the border fencing which is an insult to the affected border residents.”
He said the CCIB also expressed its strong opposition against the DC’s recent decision to impose section 186 IPC which is against the right of the affected residents, who have never at any point of time attempt to disrupt the survey.
“We condemned his immature decision and would lead a delegation to meet the governor and chief minister on the matter as we will continue to protest till the government is able to bring a permanent settlement to this issue,” Kharshanlor said.
Also threatening to announce agitation, the CCIB spokesperson informed that the committee’s general meeting will be held at Dawki on October 1.
Another leader of the conglomeration and KSU chief Daniel Khyriem said, “We demand that the ongoing survey should be immediately put on hold as it is being conducted without the presence of the landowners.”
According to him, a proper survey should be conducted while taking the affected landowners into confidence, which was not done in the present case.
“Therefore we have decided to outrightly reject the survey report,” Khyriem said while also demanding revoking of the order imposing under section 186 of the IPC, which has caused panic among the border settlers.
The people residing along international border have boycotted the survey on ground that if fencing from 150 yard is allowed, Dawki and Muktapur will go to Bangladesh.
On the other hand, CCIB secretary Kmen Myrchiang also condemned the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) for granting the no objection certificate (NOC) for conducting the survey without the consent of the traditional heads.
“We urged both centre and state governments to honour the 1958 agreement between India and erstwhile East Pakistan, now Bangladesh to ensure that the state do not stand to lose acres of land to the otherside,” he said.
Further the secretary of Muktapur village John Lyngthong said that the ongoing survey will affect the farmers’ community. According to him, it would be pointless if the people lose the cultivable lands, which are their main source of livelihood.
It was alleged that the survey was also conducted inside the villages and roads.
Meanwhile, FKJGP president Joe Marwein said that it is high time for the state government to make its stand clear on the border fencing in East Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills region.-By Our Reporter
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