Meghalaya villages seek merger with Assam
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Shillong, October 14 2011: Seeing the developmental initiatives undertaken in Assam side, the Meghalaya residents of Sawlad, Nonrilong, Umsha, Umsohiong, Patharsiphiah and Bilkolang villages located in the Assam-Meghalaya border have openly displayed their desire to merge with Assam in order to benefit from the different development programmes.

An embarrased Meghalaya Government has asked its top officials as well as the Deputy Commissioner of West Khasi Hills to probe the report on the six villages that resolved to associate with Assam.

This is the second case of Meghalaya villagers display of lack of faith in the Government of Meghalaya.

The first case was a village in the same district which refused to co-operate in the Census operations carried out by Meghalya officials.

Following the report, Meghalaya Minister for Revenue R C Laloo has asked senior officers in Shillong and the Deputy Commissioner of West Khasi Hills to institute an inquiry and submit the findings at the earliest.

Laloo told a group of newsmen on Wednesday, "I have asked the officials to ignore all the official formalities and to submit the report at the earliest".

He also expressed concern at the developments in the villages located along the Assam-Meghalaya border.

Asserting that such a display of disloyalty will not be accepted, the Minister said, "What belongs to us should be ours", adding, "We are trying to get back our areas taken by Assam through the Joint Chief Secretary Committee of border areas.

Already, the Chief Secretaries of Assam and Meghalaya are engaged in the process of solving the vexed inter-State border issues involving the 12 areas of dispute.

Meanwhile, the disgruntled villagers were complaining about the lack of roads, power, water, schools and health centres.

Mizo Regiment soon? (Aizawl): The youth wing of Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) has pledged their support to their party president's endeavor for raising Mizo Regiment.

The MPC youth wing said, this will not only provide employment to a large number of unemployed youths but also improve the living condition of the people.

The party youth wing also said, the endeavor of the present MPC president Lalhmangaiha Sailo for establishment of Mizo Regiment will be the fulfillment of the dream of the founder president Brig.

T Sailo.

The MPC youth wing also strongly objected to the alleged intention of Mahila Congress to penetrate into the up-coming Central Young Mizo Association (YMA) elections to influence the members.

Two hurt in explosion (Lakhimpur): Two persons were injured on Friday when a hand-made bomb buried in the compound of a house exploded at Sarmoti in upper Assam's Lakhimpur district.

The bomb was found abandoned by a little boy about three days ago and brought it home where the adults kept it inside an underground dustbin, the police said.

The bomb went off under pressure around 7.30 am causing minor injuries on two tenants living in the compound, sources said.

The country-made bomb containing splinters, cycle ball bearings and plastic bits was wrapped with coir, they said.

The injured were Gopal Bora and Jatin Gogoi, sources said.

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