Second phase of border talks: regional committees to meet very soon

Informing this on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said, “Very soon may be after Puja holidays, we will start sitting but as I said first members of the regional committees will sit and work out as to when should we invite the direct stakeholders be it headmen/syiems or be it ADCs – as they are part of the committees. Once that is done we will go again to the ground (for inspection).”

On Monday, the state government had constituted three regional committees to examine the present status of the remaining six areas of difference shared with Assam and to submit their report within a period of 45 days.

The six areas include Langpih in West Khasi Hills District, Borduar, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Deshdoomreah, Block-II in Ri Bhoi district and Block-I, Psiar-Khanduli in West Jaintia Hills district.

The six-member regional committee for Ri Bhoi District is headed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, regional committee for West Khasi Hills District by cabinet minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and regional committee for West Jaintia Hills District by cabinet minister Sniawbhalang Dhar.

When asked, Tynsong said one cannot just say the regional committees will be able to complete the exercise within 45 days. “This is because when you have to sit with the stakeholders it may take 10 meetings, 6 meetings or 5 meetings. Therefore, I can’t say exactly whether we will be able to complete it or not but of course a notification had requested us to please submit our report within 45 days,” he stated.

Stating that talk has to start, the deputy chief minister said, “I will not like to presume but we are very positive that if we can solve the first phase why not the second phase. We should be able to resolve and come to a final conclusion about this, we do hope that.”

When asked about the non-inclusion of the KHADC chief in the two regional committees, which has areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Council, Tynsong justified that the KHADC deputy CEM and EM have been included as members of the two committees. He however said if need be, they will include more members. He said as far as inclusion of JHADC CEM is concerned was because he was looking after the areas under the regional committee for West Jaintia Hills.

As per the terms of reference, the three regional committees have been asked to coordinate with the relevant Regional Committee set up by Government of Assam, 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, to examine the status of the population of villages as per census records including

Ethnicity and to prepare an ‘As-ls’ Public Asset Register in the villages, created by both the State Governments.

They have also been asked to 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, to document the factual information regarding the physical & time-wise distances from the villages to the nearest public service delivery point administrative unit.

The regional committees can co opt any member whenever necessary.

Meanwhile, the notification said that the jurisdictional deputy commissioners will provide all the secretarial and logistic support for effective functioning of the committees and that the Member Convenor of the respective Committee should fix the date of visit and discussion in consultation with their respective counterpart in Assam.

By Our Reporter