SHILLONG, MAR 16: Assam government has assured to remove all pillars from Umshru village in Ri Bhoi District, following objection from Meghalaya side.
This was informed by the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma while replying to a call attention moved by Nongkrem legislator Lambor Malngiang in the Assembly on Wednesday.
Sangma said the matter came to the notice of the deputy commissioner, Ri Bhoi on March 13, who immediately took up the matter with his counterpart in Assam, the deputy commissioner of Kamrup (Rural).
As informed by the DC Kamrup, the government of Assam is doing a cadastral survey for non-cadastral villages in all the districts of Assam. Under this initiative, survey was done in the Assam side near Umshru village of Ri Bhoi district and the pillars erected were based on this initiative.
Further, the DC Kamrup (Rural) clarified that these pillars in no way demarcate the boundary of Assam and Meghalaya and that this exercise has nothing to do with the Meghalaya-Assam boundary resolution, he said.
However, the DC, Ri Bhoi informed the counterpart that this can potentially mislead and create confusion regarding the Assam – Meghalaya border and therefore requested to remove the pillars immediately.
Based on the request, the officials from Assam removed three pillars and also one pillar was removed by some unidentified persons, he said adding that the matter has been taken up by the deputy commissioner Kamrup (Rural) and it has been assured that other pillars located in other areas will also be removed by March 15.
The chief minister also informed that he had also taken up the matter with the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
“On the day that this incident was reported I had a personal talk with the Assam CM and he categorically informed me on the phone that he personally was not aware of this particular exercise that was taking place and he categorically mentioned to me that he will take necessary steps to instruct officials to stop such exercise and also to remove such pillars from this areas that were put in,” he said.
Stating that it is very important to maintain the trust while talks on the border resolution is on, Sangma, “Therefore, let me assure that the Assam CM and myself, we are maintaining close contact and any issues that could create any kind of disturbance or could create some kind of situation is being monitored at the top level.”
“Whenever such things do happen, we will be moving swiftly and we will ensure communication is made to the Government of Assam to the Assam CM to ensure nothing of these sorts of incidents happen which could create confusion and potentially mislead the discussion on the border resolution. Even in the future if such incidents do come up we will ensure that these incidents are controlled so that the talks that are going on should not be disturbed,” he further assured.
Meanwhile, the chief minister informed that the police department has taken up measures to prevent any untoward incidents occurring in the areas which include extensive patrolling are conducted in the border area, the officers and personnel of Jirang anti-dacoity camp have been instructed to maintain strict vigilant in the area, sector officers in close coordination with the border magistrate have been instructed to liaison with the counterpart in Assam, response team has been detailed to attend any untoward incidents in the bordering area.
According to him, the overall situation in these areas is largely peaceful and the situation is being closely monitored by the police department and district administration.
By Our Reporter
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