Meghalaya NGO opposes border fencing, fears loss of land to Bangladesh

SHILLONG, Feb 2: A Meghalaya-based NGO has opposed fencing of some border areas in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills, stating that the residents of the state would lose their land to Bangladesh.

The Coordination Committee for International Border (CCIB) said if the fence is erected 150 yards away from the Zero Line, the landowners would be deprived of their land.

Under the 2015 India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Protocol, both countries settled the border with the swapping of land, including enclaves—areas under adverse possession. Both countries have also agreed that the border fence would be erected 150 yards, or about 137 metres away as Bangladesh views this fence as a Defence establishment and this is not allowed under a bilateral agreement.

CCIB general secretary Kmen Myrchiang said the border residents were not aware of these agreements and also not consulted when this agreement was signed.

Many of the residents are, therefore, not willing to part with their land, as it would fall beyond the fence once erected. Myrchiang said the fencing should be erected 5-10 metres away from the Zero Line, like in Tripura.

Some of the border areas in Meghalaya are vulnerable to infiltration and other illegal activities because these have remained unfenced due to opposition from landowners.

However, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma recently assured that the State Government was trying to get the requisite land so that the 443-km international border with Bangladesh could be fully fenced.

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