NBCC suspend I-B fencing after government cows down to NGOs pressure

Shillong, Apr 7 (UNI) The National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) has suspended fencing work at the porous Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya's Khasi-Jaintia hills, NBCC official said today.

The NBCC's suspension of fencing work here came after the state issued a notification to stop border fencing, NBCC General Manager R L Mehra told UNI here over phone from Guwahati.

Mr Mehra said the fencing work was suspended since yesterday.

Earlier, the government directed to suspend all border fencing in the disputed areas along the state's international border with Bangladesh until problems such as loss of agricultural lands, alienation of people and land compensation are solved.

This decision was taken after five mass organisations, under the banner of Coordination Committee on International Border(CCIB), called for a two-day office picketing and 48-hour road blockade in the state's Khasi-Jaintia Hills districts protesting against the ongoing fencing work.

Picketing would begin on April 10 and will be followed by a 48-hour road blockade from 0500 hrs on April 12 to April 14.

Meanwhile, CCIB spokesman G H Kharshanlor said the Committee will meet on April 9 to review the NBCC decision to suspend the fencing work and the need to withdraw its agitational programme.

The CCIB, a conglomeration of five organisations, decided to agitate against the Centre's decision to fence the Indo-Bangladesh border, 150 yards from the zero line.

They had even served a 72-hour 'quit notice' to NBCC workers engaged here, alleging the NBCC had violated the government notification, which directed them to suspend work in all disputed areas between Nongjri in East Khasi Hills and Jaliakhola in Jaintia Hills.

''We are not against fencing of the Indo-Bangladesh border but we want the government to erect the fence from the zero line to ensure that our land outside the fence was not encroached by Bangladeshi nationals,'' Mr Kharshanlor said.

UNI