PHE Minister and Chairman of the Regional Committee for West Khasi Hills District Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar on Wednesday urged all stakeholders to be part of the peaceful settlement of the long pending boundary dispute. The Minister also stated that the committee had invited the headmen of the Nepali dominated villages but sadly they did not turn up for the meeting.
Speaking to reporters, Tongkhar said, “We have requested all of them (during the first meeting of the regional committee held at Nongstoin on October 14) to let us take that responsibility to see that no law and order problem should come while we are initiating this process.”
According to him, out of 53 villages, some are those which are being dominated by the Nepali settlers.
“Some of the Nepali Villages are in between surrounded by the Khasi and the Garo villages, it is very very difficult to settle if they don’t work together, it is very difficult also to ignore them as well,” the Regional committee chairman said.
Tongkhar said the traditional headmen of the region have expressed that they are determined to find out ways and means to resolve the boundary dispute in a peaceful manner.
“They have also assured to request the Nepali people to stand in one voice along with Khasi and Garo settlers. So let the process go on between the headmen,” he said.
The minister said that very soon an inspection will be conducted to the areas to get a better understanding of the villages falling under the sector.
Tongkhar informed that the meeting also discussed the issue of the different villages that have been included in the 2011 list submitted by the then Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government.
Talking to reporters, he said that names of three-four villages did not appear in the 2011 map, however, the minister could not recall the names of such villages as there are 53 villages on the list.