Meghalaya govt committed to protecting interest of tribals: Rymbai

Shillong, Dec 13 (UNI) Meghalaya Chief Minister J D Rymbai today told the state assembly that his government is fully committed to protecting the interests of the tribals from illegal migrations of foreigners.

Mr Rymbai said the main factors responsible for influx of Bangladeshi nationals to the state are demand of cheap labour in coal mining industry, manual jobs and porous and poor security along the international border.

Replying to Zero hour notice raised by ruling member(Independent) Pynshai Manik Syiem, the Chief Minister said the government has written to the Centre that the Multipurpose National Identity cards Scheme should be extended to Meghalaya to provide for an effective identification system.

''The state police have been directed to update and maintain village wise register to monitor infiltration of foreigners,'' Mr Rymbai informed.

He said the state governmnet has set up four Watch Posts, 10 Patrol Posts, four Passport Check Posts, five Check Posts, 12 additional check posts and three check gates at sensitive and vulnerable locations along the international Indo-Bangla border and inter-state border to detect and deport Bangladeshi nationals.

He added that the government also has constituted special squads and 2 units for finger impression and photographs to prevent the illegal migration.

Informing that the government has also set up seven District Task Force for detecting Bangladeshi nationals in each districts, Mr Rymbai said the Task Force have been assigned to conduct regular checking and surprises checking once a month with a combined team of a magistrate, police force and infiltration branch staffs.

These surprise checking has been ordered to maintain a record of finger prints and photographs, he pointed out.

In order to further prevent Bangladeshi nationals entering the state, Mr Rymbai said the state police also coordinate with the BSF and share intelligence with the BSF regularly day-to-day basis in anti-infiltration work.

Meghalaya police has also sanctioned a Border Management Headquarters at Baghmara, state's district headquarters of South Garo Hills for training policemen in anti-infiltration and for achieving co-ordination with border management forces, he said.

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