Meghalaya asks Assam to allow electrification work in 2

Meghalaya Home Minister James K Sangma today informed the Assembly that Assam government has been urged to allow completion of electrification works in two villages in the disputed inter-state border area.

The chief secretary of Meghalaya has on March 29 requested his Assam counterpart to instruct the Assam police to allow completion of electrification works at Mawdiangsnam and Umyiap villages in Langpih area of West Khasi Hills district, Sangma said.

"A positive response is expected from the Assam government soon which will ensure a safe and secure atmosphere for the labourers to resume the works," he said in reply to a Zero Hour notice raised by K S Marbaniang.

Assam police had stopped the electrification work under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana on February 25, the minister said.

The West Khasi Hills district deputy commissioner on March 16 ordered for resumption of the work but the Assam police of Kamrup district stopped it again, he said.

The deputy commissioners of West Khasi Hills had taken up the matter with his Kamrup district counterpart on March 22 and the Meghalaya chief secretary with his Assam counterpart on March 29, James said.

Earlier, the construction of an Assam police outpost in the disputed Block II Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya has been stopped after the district deputy commissioner and the Meghalaya chief secretary requested their Assam counterparts to stop the work, the Assembly was informed on April 5.