The Meghalaya government on Wednesday assured protection and security deployment for farmers of Lapangap village in West Jaintia Hills district to enable them to resume cultivation amid renewed tensions and alleged disturbances from the Karbi Anglong side of Assam.
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said representatives from Lapangap village, accompanied by several organisations, met him to raise concerns over threats faced by local cultivators ahead of the farming season. He said the discussions primarily centred on safeguarding the livelihood of villagers in Lapangap.
Talking to Media persons, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “The people of Lapangap village along with some of the organisations they came and met about the Lapangap issue. Now it’s the time for farmers to go and cultivate their land and there are some disturbance from the Karbi side about the issue they met me and we had very fruitful and good discussion with them. I assured them from the government side to do our level best to protect our people.”
Asked, he said, “Today is not a border issue, the residents of Lapangap are coming and discussing their livelihood. The border issue is the state level subject. Today they came and met us, and we have assured them to provide force from tomorrow onwards and ensure that the cultivation should be done nicely and nobody should disturb.”
Stating that adequate security personnel would be deployed in the area, Dhar said the State government was committed to ensuring that peace was maintained while allowing farmers to continue agricultural activities without fear.
“We assured them that we will provide sufficient forces so that peace should not be disturbed,” he said.
On whether the matter would be raised with the Assam government, Dhar said discussions between administrative officials of both States were already underway and further engagement would continue through the established regional committee mechanism.“Obviously, because as of now, both the Deputy Commissioners will discuss first and even they discussed this in the last few days also and there is some more to be discussed, even the government of Assam has formed the new Government yesterday also, so, obviously, our CM has said he will discuss this issue with CM of Assam. We are yielding up all together along the border, so we are waiting as soon as the government of Assam appoints the new chairman of the Regional committees from their side we will meet them in the appropriate time,” he added.
