Shillong, Nov. 28 : Meghalaya today expressed concern over reports of encroachment by Assam onto its territory in Ri Bhoi district.
Prestone Tynsong, the chairman of the special committee on inter-state border and state revenue minister told reporters today that a delegation of people from the Paigoan area of Ri Bhoi district met him yesterday and apprised him about an incident of encroachment on November 14.
According to the people of the area, an Assam-based contractor had carried out earth work and filling of roads in the area without the knowledge of the local people.
Tynsong said he had instructed the Ri Bhoi deputy commissioner to speak to his Assam counterpart regarding the fresh attempt of encroachment into Meghalaya territory by way of construction of a road in the Paigoan area of the district.
“We want Assam to stop the road construction as both sides are maintaining status quo as far as the boundary dispute is concerned,” the revenue minister said.
Ri Bhoi additional deputy magistrate I.W. Ingty and the circle inspector of Khanapara police station had visited the area on November 18. The magistrate had also instructed the contractor to stop the work and attend a meeting at the deputy commissioner’s office.
However, after the contractor did not attend the meeting, the magistrate had reported the issue to chief secretary W.M.S. Pariat seeking the state government’s intervention.
According to Tynsong, Meghalaya would not oppose development, but since status quo was being maintained, Assam should try to stop construction in the disputed border area.
“If at all Assam wants to carry out construction in the disputed inter-state border, it can be done through mutual understanding,” he said.
Tynsong also said it was only on November 11 that the first meeting of the special joint committee on inter-state border was held at Byrnihat, which decided to sort out the border dispute amicably.
The meeting had decided to examine 12 areas of differences once Meghalaya handed over the details of the disputed areas. Tynsong said he had asked the state department officials today to hand over the details regarding the areas of differences so that the matter could be taken up at the next meeting.
Top