Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Friday said post Independent Day celebration Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya will jointly visit the interstate border as part of confidence building measures.
Talking to reporters the Chief Minister said he is in constant touch with the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Bishwasarma on various interstate border issues.
Sangma also said he has raised the issue of alleged harassment by the United People’s Front of Karbi Longri (UPFKL) against the Khasi-Pnar community residing in Block-I area in West Jaintia Hills District with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Bishwasarma.
“I have taken up the matter with the Assam chief minister and he is taking that matter very seriously,” Sangma told reporters on Friday.
“As we speak, the Assam government is having a series of meetings on certain incidents and issues that are there pertaining to the border area,” he said.
CM Conrad Sangma said that he has spoken to Assam Chief Minister around 10 times over the phone in the last 4 days and all issues will be ironed out soon.
On the issue of illegal check gate at Khanduli village in West Jaintia Hills, the Chief Minister assured to resolve it within this week.
The Chief Minister said the matter has been brought to his notice by the local political leadership and public in Khanduli area and he has taken it up with Assam CM.
“That issue also has been taken up by me with Assam counterpart and I hope that we will be able to resolve that within this week itself,” he said.
Asked, Sangma said, “There is a bit of a complication in that matter but I have got an assurance from the Assam CM that he will resolve the issue but let’s wait for the final outcome but all efforts are being made and I am pretty sure we will resolve it.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong on Friday said the state government cannot deploy its police forces in Block-I, since it falls under the administrative control of Assam.
“Block-I is under the administrative control of Assam. How can we deploy Meghalaya police to Assam? How can we do that?” Tynsong asked.
He however said, “At best what we can do is our CM will talk to the Assam CM that’s it.”
People from West Jaintia Hills including NGOs have demanded the state government to provide adequate security to the people residing in Block I from harassment by Karbi militants.