Shillong, Feb 13: The state government wants fencing at zero line in the international border to avoid farmers and residents losing out land.
Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday told reporters that the government has already written to the Ministry of Home Affairs requesting the need to allow fencing be constructed at zero line.
The stand of the state government is very clear as there were some problems with the alignment of the fencing which sometimes goes beyond the agriculture land of the landowners, clan or community. Therefore, the village administration is opposing it and they keep requesting the Government of India to consider in such cases and in such a portion that fencing should be closer to the zero point”, he said, adding that there were concerns by people along the stretch of Amlarem civil sub-division in West Jaintia Hills and East Khasi Hills.
“As I said our stand is very clear we welcome the fencing even the villages in the border areas they welcome the fencing but the only concern of the land owners or the village authorities is that they will not at all allow the fencing to go from the middle of the village or from the middle of the farmland of the concerned farmers. Therefore, we from the state government also, we have taken up this particular issue with the Government of India,” he said.
The fencing work is on hold due to opposition from the local residents.
“Even from district administration, we say please don’t allow until and unless we get a clear cut decision taken by the Government of India. So be it in the War Jaintia side, Amlarem area, not even a single inch of fencing has started,” he said.
