Efforts on to bring back 3 villages: Kimfa

The three villages include Mallang Hahuapara (formerly Okgipu Chiring), Mallang Joypur and Mallang Salbari.

This came a day after Garo Hills-based NGOs staged a protest in the capital city demanding the government to review the MoU signed with Assam on March 29, which ended the dispute in six of the twelve areas of difference shared between the two states.

Speaking to reporters, Marbaniang said that he had taken up this issue with the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.

“Hopefully during the second phase (of border talks), we will try to bring back the three villages which had been left out in the first phase. We will try to bring them back to the Meghalaya side,” he said.

The MLA also said that the government will try not to take any decision in a hurry in the second phase of border talks in order for Meghalaya to gain all the villages, which fall under the state.

“We don’t want to do as hurriedly as in the first phase. We will take our time and what we are doing is for the benefit of the border people,” he said.

“In the second phase we will try to move in a slow pace…we will take more time so that we can take the confidence…all the villages, the headmen, himas…and by doing this, we will try to avoid as many agitations as possible from public side…,” he added

The MLA said that the people in the three villages wanted to be in Meghalaya.

“However, if you look at the survey in 2011, most of the villages have been left out so we cannot blame anyone but whatever mistakes that have been done, now we have to correct them and we will try to speak to the Assam chief minister through our chief minister and we will try to solve this problem by bringing them (3 villages) back to Meghalaya,” he said.

According to Marbaniang, there is still hope that the three villages will be brought back to Meghalaya.

By Our Reporter