Shillong, Aug 04: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday assured to resolve the issue of illegal check gate at Khanduli village in West Jaintia Hills within this week.
Talking to reporters on Friday, he said he has taken up the matter with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and was hopeful of resolving the issue very soon.
He said the matter has been brought to his notice by the local political leadership and public in Khanduli area. “That issue also has been taken up by me with Assam counterpart and I hope that we will be able to resolve that within this week itself,” he said.
Asked, the CM however said, “There is a bit of a complication in that matter but I have got an assurance from the Assam CM that he will resolve the issue but let’s wait for the final outcome but all efforts are being made and I am pretty sure we will resolve it.”
Earlier this week, a delegation of Jaiñtia Students Movement (JSM) had gone to Khanduli with the intention of dismantling the Entry Tax Gate set up by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) in the village.
However, they were stopped from doing so by West Jaiñtia Hills district officials and police personnel present in the village, informing them of the visit of CMs of both the neighbouring States on August 3, 2023. However, the CM-level visit to the area could not take place due to certain circumstances
CM Sangma said they will try to visit the area post August 15, 2023.
Khanduli is a disputed land between Assam and Meghalaya, which has been a major flashpoint for regular clashes between the Jaintia (pnar) people and the Karbi people living in the area as both Assam and Meghalaya claim ownership of the village.
