Assam-Meghalaya border dispute led to 56 incidents in 3 years: Deputy CM

SHILLONG, Sept 9 - Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Monday informed the Assembly that 56 incidents related to the inter-state border dispute with Assam took place in the past three years since 2017.

Replying to a query during Question Hour, Tynsong said 20 incidents took place in West Khasi Hills district, 21 in Ri-Bhoi, 14 in West Khasi Hills and one incident took place in West Garo Hills district.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police immediately took up the issues with their counterparts in Assam to defuse the tension. A Chief Secretary-level meeting was also held on June 21, 2019 to discuss border-related issues and standard operating procedures for lines of communication, Tynsong said.

Replying to a short duration discussion on the drug menace, Tynsong said police have taken up various measures to curb the drug problem in the state. Moreover, intelligence sharing between the Anti Narcotic Task Force and police forces both within Meghalaya and neighbouring states is being coordinated. So far, the ANTF, which was formed recently, has registered 59 cases and arrested 92 persons in drug-related incidents, Tynsong said, adding that 1,628 grams of heroin and 1,184 kg of ganja has also been seized.

The Deputy CM said police is conducting a series of awareness campaigns against the menace of drugs in schools, colleges, markets, localities and other vulnerable places.