Shillong: Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik on Tuesday constituted three Regional Committees to examine the present status of the six ‘areas of difference’, Tarabari, Gizang and Hahim in West Khasi Hills District, Boklapara and Khanapara-Pillangkata in Ri Bhoi and Ratacherra in East Jaintia Hills along the Meghalaya-Assam inter-state boundary.
The regional committees were constituted in both Meghalaya and Assam as per decision taken by the chief ministers of both the neighbouring States during their recent meetings to discuss the inter-state boundary issue.
“The Committees will submit their report to the Meghalaya Government within a period of 30 days from the date of this notification based on the inspection of the villages and based on the agreed yardsticks of historical perspective, ethnicity of the local population, administrative convenience of local people’ contiguity with the boundary and the perception of the people living in the area,” a notification issued by Chief Secretary M.S.Rao said.
The terms of reference of the committees are to coordinate with the relevant regional committees set up by Government of Assam on September 7, 2021, 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, establish the geographical location of the villages and their contiguity, examine the status of the population of villages as per census records including ethnicity.
The committees are also to visit each of the villages, and interact with the communities living there, including the elected representatives of the Autonomous District Councils to learn about the perception of the people living in the areas and document the factual information regarding the physical and time-wise distances from the villages to the
nearest public service delivery point/administrative unit, the notification said.
The committee in Ri-Bhoi is headed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong as chairperson, PWD (Buildings) minister Dasakhiatbha Lamare, Congress legislator Mayralborn Syiem, NPP legislator Sosthenes Sohtun as members and Deputy Commissioner, Ri Bhoi District as convenor.
While committee for West Khasi Hills is headed by PHE minister Renikton L. Tongkhar as chairperson, NPP legislators Macmillan Byrsat and Gigur Myrthong and Congress legislator Kimfa S. Marbaniang as members and the Deputy Commissioner, West Khasi Hills district as member-convenor.
The East Jaintia Hills committee is headed by Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar as chairperson, Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, UDP legislator Nujorki Sungoh and Congress legislator Shitlang Pale as members and Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills District as member-convenor.
