SHILLONG, SEP 12: The state government’s plan to relocate the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camps from four locations including Mawlai, to a single designated site in New Shillong Township has hit a roadblock due to fierce resistance froom local dorbar shnongs.
“In fact in 2022, we have already decided that the temporary camps of four places where we camped the CRPF personnel is to be shifted to one designated place. In May 2022, we are about to earmark 10 acres of land in New Shillong Township but before signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) some localities there raised strong opposition for creating a camping site of CRPF,” Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong said while replying to a query raised by VPP legislator from Mawlai Brightstarwell Marbaniang in the Assemblly on Friday.
Tynsong assured that he would take up the issue with traditional heads and dorbar shnongs since this land has been earmarked for the camping site of the CRPF in Shillong.
He also announced that the government has already allotted 50 acres to the Meghalaya police for the Meghalaya Security Complex.
The deputy chief minister clarified that the CRPF is different from central forces and is requisitioned on a need basis.
He emphasized that the CRPF is more or less like the state’s own battalion, utilized for meeting different challenges on a daily basis.
The total manpower of CRPF in Shillong and Tura is less than 400, and it is fully controlled by the state government.
Tynsong also requested the members to create awareness in their respective constituencies about the CRPF, dispelling misconceptions that they are like BSF or Assam Rifles.
The land for the CRPF camp will remain with the government, and the Mawryngkneng legislator has been requested to help make people understand the role of CRPF.
Earlier while raising the issue, Marbaniang said that the CRPF camp in Mawlai has been a point of contention among locals, with demands for relocation dating back to 2021.
In 2022, an incident near the temporary camp led to a law and order situation, prompting community leaders to meet with the Deputy CM and CM, he said while reminding that the government had assured them that the temporary camp would be shifted from Mawlai.
