Meghalaya to set up Police Outpost at disputed Langpih

Shillong, Nov 21 (UNI) The Meghalaya government has decided to send two platoons of police personnel, besides setting up a Police Outpost at Langpih village, which Assam claimed falls under their administrative jurisdiction.

''Come what may, we will set up the police outpost at Langpih as the area claimed by Assam belongs to us (Meghalaya),'' Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home, Hoping Stone Lyngdoh told reporters here today.

He was reacting to Assam Chief Secretary PC Sharma's statement yesterday that ''the Assam government won't allow Meghalaya to set up a Police Outpost in Langpih''.

''We will not allow the Meghalaya government to set up the police outpost as both sides have agreed to maintain status quo on the area,'' Mr Sharma told reporters after the second chief secretary-level meeting on the boundary disputes.

Mr Sharma said Meghalaya had agreed to maintain status quo on the boundary disputes, especially in context with Langpih between the two states.

Langpih village, bordering Kamrup district of Assam, has been in the limelight ever since Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma laid the foundation stone of a Health Sub-Centre, Inspection Bungalow and residential quarters for Forest Guards at Langpih on May 31.

''No one can stop us, we will draw two platoons of police personnel and send them to Langpih,'' the Deputy Chief Minister stated, even as he pointed out that Langpih falls under Nongstoin constituency which he had been representing.

He said Assam had encroached into the area way back in 1979 and is now pushing in new settlers, which is not acceptable to the people of Meghalaya.

Meghalaya's claim is based on revenue records dating back to 1876.

Assam had dispute with Arunachal Pradesh over the boundary of forest land. Another neighbouring state, Nagaland, has similar dispute with Assam and security forces have been deployed in a large area of Upper Assam's Golaghat district adjoining Nagaland for maintaining status quo in the disputed areas.

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