Prohibitory orders imposed along Assam-Mizoram border

From a Correspondent

Hailakandi, March 7: Following exacerbated tensions along the Assam-Mizoram inter-State border in Kachurthal area of Hailakandi district, new Deputy Commissioner of Hailakandi, Adil Khan rushed to the troubled spot to take stock of the situation on Wednesday. Accompanied by Additiol Deputy Commissioner Amalendu Roy and other civil and police officials, Deputy Commissioner Khan made an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. Inspecting the border, Khan said, “The situation is under control now. However, the administration is taking no chances and closely keeping an eye on the situation.”

 Khan, while interacting with the people living along the border, asked them to remain alert so as to keep the miscreants at bay. The Deputy Commissioner said as the border row involved two States, the governments of the States concerned must sit across the table to hammer out a durable solution. Khan said he had apprised the top echelons of the administration about the prevailing situation.

 Later, the Deputy Commissioner had a telephonic talk with the Deputy Commissioner of Kolasib district of Mizoram, R. Zarzosanga and brought to his notice the attempts made by some organizations from Mizoram to erect structures in Kachurthal area within Assam’s territory. Khan, while seeking the cooperation of his counterpart in maintaining status quo along the inter-State border, invited him for discussion to sort out any differences related to the inter-State boundary amicably.

 At the same time, Khan cautioned his counterpart that ‘any effort of planned encroachment may lead to serious law and order problem on both sides’.  Khan thanked Zarzosanga for giving a patient hearing and giving assurance of looking into the matter in right earnest.

Khan also dashed off a letter to his Mizoram counterpart requesting him to ‘ensure no individual or organization takes law into its hand and creates tension among the people of these two States who have been cohabiting peacefully for many years’.

 Meanwhile, in view of exigency of the situation, the Hailakandi district administration has clamped Section 144 Cr.Pc with immediate effect in the Kachurthal area and other areas under Ramthpur Police Station bordering Kolasib district of Mizoram following information from reliable sources that some individuals and organizations from Mizoram side are planning to intrude into Assam’s territory with the intention to encroach forest land and erect permanent structures, including religious structures.

 “As any encroachment attempt is not only illegal but also likely to endanger human life, health and safety and may lead to disturbance of public tranquillity, leading to inter-State tension, Section 144 Cr.Pc has been imposed with immediate effect,” quipped Khan.

 The order prohibits the assembling of five or more persons, any kind of temporary or permanent construction activity in the forest area of Hailakandi district bordering Mizoram and carrying of arms or other lethal weapons. However, civil and police officials, forest guards, Army and paramilitary forces are exempted from the purview of the order.