Shillong: Ahead of the crucial Assam-Meghalaya boundary talks, the Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Tuesday urged the Meghalaya police to provide adequate security to the people residing in the inter-state border areas so that they could express their views freely and without fear.
Pointing out that one of the criteria to resolve the boundary dispute issue is getting the people’s opinion where they wish to reside – Meghalaya or Assam, HYC president, Robertjune Kharjahrin said, “We believe that the people must decide where they choose to live through their own free will without any compulsion, threat or coercion from any quarter.”
In a memorandum submitted to State Director General of Police, L.R.Bishnoi, the HYC said that the seven new border outposts and outposts in the sensitive areas along the inter-state border with Assam be made operational by the state government immediately.
“The man-power in the existing BOPs and OPs should be increased and the Police personnel must be supplied with all the necessary requirements for their effective performance of the mandated duties and functions,” the HYC demanded.
The Meghalaya government last year, after the Mukroh firing incident, said that seven new border outposts would be made operational to provide security to the border residents.
“As declared by the state government last year the existing BoPs and OPs must be made operational with increased police personnel and all the necessary requirements for their effective performance,” Kharjahrin said.
Further, the HYC also suggested that the Directorate of Infiltration has not lived up to the public’s expectation. “The Directorate must cooperate with the village authorities and the village defense party to prevent entry and settlement of immigrants in the state,” Kharjahrin said.
Moreover, he said, the police department should adopt proper strategy to reduce the supply of drugs into the state.
“The police, the Border Security Force and the Custom and Central Excise should conduct joint operations and share information on drugs by pooling in resources to effectively tackle the menace of drugs in the state,” the HYC said.
