Govt determined to resolve boundary dispute with Assam: CM

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 21, 2024

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday said the government is determined to resolve the boundary dispute with Assam.

In his reply to a motion, Sangma said, “I want to reiterate again that as has been in the past and as we had shown our intent in MDA-1 in the last five years, we are very determined to move this forward and to be able to come to a conclusion and be able to resolve the disputed areas once and for all. For that, we all need to work together and take this issue up and in a positive and constructive manner we need to resolve these issues.”

In regards to the Jatalong incident, Sangma said that the FIR was filed by the ranger of the KAAC and not by the Assam government.

“There was a warrant of arrest (against the four local villagers). Accordingly, the chief secretary had written to the chief secretary of Assam requesting that the cases against these four individuals may be withdrawn and based that the process of discussion was initiated…I had also personally spoken to the chief minister of Assam and I had personally requested him that while these discussions and talks are going on, while we are trying to move forward in trying to find a solution these kinds of incidents will only aggravate the situation hence wherever possible we should try and amicably resolve such issues and he completely agreed with me and a very positive response was given by him and he said he will look into the matter and we are working on this together and I officially want to put it on record that we have always seen a very positive response from the government of Assam and especially the chief minister,” he said.

On the issue of illegal tax collection, the chief minister said that such tax collection taking place are definitely not in the Meghalaya administered areas as the state had brought broomsticks under the agroforestry products.

“In fact this decision of the MDA-I government has helped the farmers to a very large extent and hence the question of tax collection within the administered area of Meghalaya is not at all allowed and if there is a case like this we will immediately take action,” he said.

Sangma said such incidents are taking place in the administered areas of the KAAC.

“If there are such cases we can take it up with the government of Assam…,” he added.