Shillong: Noting that there is no question of changing the border agreement with Assam, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday said the state government will try to discuss with Assam the concerns raised by the pressure groups in certain areas.
After holding a meeting with leaders of Khasi Students’ Union and Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People, Sangma said that there are a few villages which are right at the border you know hardly 10 meters 15 meters away from the line that we have proposed.
“The MoU has been signed. But you know as we move forward in our discussions, as we move forward, in the second phase, we will try and talk and discuss with our counterparts z We will see how it’s moved and we have noted down the concerns of the NGOs,” the Chief Minister said.
During the meeting, the leaders of various pressure groups demanded that the MoU be reviewed since certain areas under Hima Nonglang and Nongbak Akhing and under the administrative jurisdiction of Meghalaya have been given away to Assam.
These areas include Malang Salbari, Malang Huhuapara, Malang Joypur all in West Khasi Hills district.
However, the Chief Minister said that the talks and discussions were based on the 2011 report submitted by the Meghalaya government to Assam.
“We have shown them the historical facts, the 2011 report which was the basis on which the entire discussion happened and we showed how the villages mentioned by them are already on the map in Assam,” Sangma said.
“It was difficult to change that map and report submitted by the Meghalaya government in 2011 and includes those villages mentioned by them. Hence, it was very difficult for us to change that map and include those villages mentioned by them (pressure groups),” he maintained.
However, Sangma acknowledged their concerns are still there and the people’s will and the people’s desire to be in Meghalaya.
“We have clarified all the details to them (pressure groups) and they have understood the technical challenges that are there. I presume that they have realized how the entire process was moved forward and how we came to this conclusion,” the chief minister said.
