Meghalaya worried on violations in border fencing

Dawki (Indo-Bangla border), Dec 23: The ruling Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government has expressed concern over the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) for violating the prescribed guidelines for erecting a barbed fence beyond 150 yards from the zero line in the state's border with Bangladesh.

The state government's protest came in the wake of the joint on-the-spot verification of the fencing work yesterday with members of the Coordination Committee on International Border (CCIB).

''The NBCC has violated the prescribed norms of the Union government and most of our land will be exposed to Bangladesh,'' state Deputy Chief Minister Donkupar Roy told reporters here.

Dr Roy, who was leading the joint-delegation to inspect the fencing construction observed that the NBCC had raised the fence at Jaliakhola, Sanghat, S P Tilla and other adjoining villages bordering Bangladesh to two to three kms from the zero line.

As per the guidelines, the union government had instructed the NBCC to raise the fence to 150 yards from the zero line to prevent infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals and cross-border terrorism.

''We will not allow the NBCC to raise the fence beyond 150 yards,'' the Deputy Chief Minister said, adding that the state government would soon discuss this serious issue.

He also informed that the government had instructed the NBCC to keep in abeyance the construction work following its violation.

State Chief Minister J D Rymbai had recently expressed ''dissatisfaction'' in the Assembly over the NBCC and GREF, violating the prescribed guidelines of the Union government for raising the fence beyond 150 yards inside the Indian territory at Rongasor, Bilkona, Taraibari, Nolbari and Bagimbari villages in Garo Hills areas bordering Bangladesh.

Mr Rymbai said the state government would take up the matter with New Delhi to solve the problem amicably.

Concerns have been raised here that people would forfeit their land once fencing is done 150 yards away from zero line. ''We will not allow the NBCC to go ahead with the fencing as our people will be losing our vast stretch of cultivable land,'' M Lamin told Deputy Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy.

''The present work carried out by the NBCC will hamper our villagers, acres and acres of our paddy fields, and our betel-nuts and betel leaves orchards will be in Bangladesh territory,'' Mr Lamin stated.

As per the Indira-Mujib pact of 1972, both Bangladesh and India had reached an agreement that neither of the two can erect permanent defence installations within 150 yards of the international border.

India argues that the barbed-wired fence cannot be construed as a defence installation but Dhaka does not agree.

Meghalaya shares a 423-km long international boundary with Bangladesh.

UNI

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