The Assam-Meghalaya border conflict has re-ignited the debate. In six of the 12 locations, the governments of Meghalaya and Assam agreed to “give and take” to resolve their boundary issues, but the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) claimed on Sunday that the state government had no jurisdiction to transfer over private land to the neighboring state.
According to section 41 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the state government must obtain the council’s agreement before acquiring any private land, according to Titosstarwell Chyne, the KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM).
“The state government has no jurisdiction to transfer over private land to Assam,” Chyne said concerning the inhabitants of the affected areas. Everything in Assam is revenue land, therefore it’s a distinct situation.”
The council is furious that the two states’ chief ministers completed the memorandum of agreement (MoU) . The council was only consulted at the early stage of the district committee meeting, according to Chyne.
In the meantime, the KHADC has called a meeting with all Himas who have signed petitions rejecting the MoU for Monday. “We’d hear from them on their strategy,” Chyne added, noting that the government has stated that the MoU will not be reviewed.
In any case, he continued, the topic of reviewing the MoU is no longer relevant because it has been sealed by the Home Ministry. “It has now reached a point where it is impossible for the state government to reconsider or reverse the MoU,” Chyne continued.
However, earlier when asked about the traditional heads seeking legal redress, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had remarked that they have the right to do so. “I can’t make any changes to a report.” If someone wants to take a legal course, they have the right to do so. “I’m not sure about the outcome,” Sangma stated.
