SHILLONG, April 18: The Boundary Committee of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), following the opposition of the many to the MoU signed between Meghalaya and Assam to resolve the border dispute of these two States,today the 18th of April called for a meeting of the Chiefs of Hima Mylliem,Jirang, Nongspung,Nonglang and Hima Jyrngam.
The Executive Member of the KHADC,Jambor War said that the meeting of Hima Chiefs called by the KHADC is because the MoU signed by the Government is not all as per the report sent by the KHADC to the Government and is not at all as per the report of the Regional Committees of the Government, which has resulted in the people being unhappy and a lot of chaos.
He said that this is a pressing matter and the KHADC will meet again on the 26th of this month for a final decision.
He said that the act of the Government in not including the land owners, Himas and the District Council, and the discreet signing of the MoU has caused a lot of unhappiness and the matter needs to be resolved again.
It may be pointed that the Government upheld the MoU it had signed, and also clearly stated that it is difficult to re-examine the MoU. However, on being queried today, Jambor War said that it is up to the State Government and the KHADC had from the beginning said that the boundary of the District Council will be as per the boundary of the Himas under the Council, and the same was stated in the report sent to the Government also.
In being queried further, he said that of the Government does not want to revise the MoU, after the decision to be taken on the 26th, the Council will speak with the Himas because they are the land owners, on how to move forward because the right of the land owners does not end only with the State Government or the Central Government.
Bindo M.Lanong said that the KHADC stands firm on its principle because the Himas fall under the jurisdiction of the District Council, and the District Council knows and has no problem. He said that based on the maps and the legendary tales there is no problem in revising the MoU.
The leader of the Opposition in the KHADC, P.N Syiem said that the groups or members of the Regional Committee were not called for a collective approval on the signing of the MoU. He said that Assam and Meghalaya differs greatly as most of the land in Assam belong to the Government whereas in Meghalaya, the land falls under the District Council and the Himas,the Raids, and if approval is not sought from them then how can the MoU be signed.
