Newmai News Network
Shillong | November 28
The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government will decide on the number of border outposts (BOPs) to be set up in all sensitive areas along the inter-state border with Assam during a cabinet meeting to be held on Tuesday.
This was informed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma after chairing an all-party meeting, which was attended by leaders and MLAs of different political parties on Monday.
The meeting started by observing a minute of silence as a mark of respect to the departed souls, who were killed in a firing at Mukroh village in West Jaintia Hills district on November 22.
Speaking to reporters, Sangma said, “Tomorrow in the cabinet, we will be finalising the list for different areas where border outposts (BOPs) will be set up. Hence, we have shared with different political parties that we have decided that we will be putting up the BOPs in these sensitive areas and many others and ensuring that full manpower and full infrastructure and whatever is necessary should be done to ensure these BOPs will be functioning well.”
He assured that the state government is taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the citizens in the border areas. He informed that the government has also constituted a judicial enquiry, which is being headed by Justice T Vaiphei.
Announcing the government’s decision to lift the internet ban, Sangma said, “We will not continue with it so the internet access has been opened and now we are also allowing the movement of vehicles with the patrolling of police taking place continuously at all levels.”
Appealing to all concerns to work together to ensure normalcy returns and no further violence in the state, especially in Shillong, the chief minister regretted that there were some incidents of violence during the demonstrations organized in the past few days.
He said the government has sought suggestions from all leaders present at the meeting and they have sought immediate actions against those involved in the Mukroh firing incident that led to the loss of six precious lives and that financial assistance be extended to the bereaved families.
The CM said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured the cabinet delegation that the Centre will immediately institute a probe by a central investigation agency. The CM also informed that the government has decided to regularize the platoon deployed at Mukroh village and said, “That will be regularized and they will continue to be there as we will not be moving them out from there.”
Meanwhile, the CM reminded that the entire thought process of resolving the border issue has been because of these atrocities and because of the fact that the people in the border areas have been suffering.
He said the two state governments have been closely coordinating to ensure any kind of tension should be resolved quickly and not allowed to escalate and that developmental works should be allowed.
