Tribal villagers in Meghalaya residing on the edge of India-Bangladesh have asked the Indian government to give away their four villages and its population to Bangladesh if the government is not willing to construct an all-weather road for them, reports The Wire.
The tribesmen of Hingaria, Huroi, Lahalein and Lejri villages have been moving from pillar to post to draw the attention of those in power both at New Delhi and Shillong to construct the Rymbai-Bataw-Borkhat-Sonapur Road for many years but their pleas are yet to see the light of the day.
The “pathetic” and “deplorable” condition of the road has affected the livelihood of the hoi polloi in the four villages. It has come to a point where the very existence of these people is threatened because of the economic and developmental issues which the villages face.
The absence of a proper road, mobile connectivity and proper medical facilities have crippled the lives of more than 5,000 people residing in these villages, The Wire reported citing FPSJ Review of Art and Politics.
It has come to a point where the residents have to rely on Bangladesh for their survival since the government is least interested in these border villages.
The four villages fall under the jurisdiction of the East Jaintia Hills district, which is located nearly 200 km from Meghalaya’s capital Shillong.
“The people in the villages are frustrated and tired,” said Kynjaimon Amse, the spokesperson of the four villages, informing that the tribesmen had recently held a meeting and discussed on the plight of the people and their way ahead.
“It was at the meeting, that the village Dorbar (council) and its more than 5,000 plus population have decided that it is better for the government to give the four villages and its 5,000 plus population to Bangladesh if the government is not willing to construct the road for us,” he said.
“The people have also decided that the four villages will write to the Government of Bangladesh to request for construction of the road for us since the Government of India and Government of Meghalaya have failed to understand our problems,” he said.
“The government has least interest. We have been writing to all government functionaries right from the Deputy Commissioner to the Chief Minister and Governor, but all we got was false promise. We have also been writing to the PMO, home ministry, NITI Aayog, finance ministry, North Eastern Council and many other offices of the Union government for intervention. However, even they are not interested to see to our needs,” Amse said.
