JFK urges CM to pursue opening of haat with centre

Shillong, Nov 28: Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya (GCCM) chairman John F Kharshiing sought the intervention of the chief minister Mukul Sangma and requested him to take up with the union government on the need to negotiate with Bangladesh for the early re-opening of the 38 border haats in the state that have been the economic lifeline for the people living along the international Indo-Bangla border of Meghalaya.

“We have urged the state government to take up the matter with the centre for negotiating with the Bangladesh government to speed up the reopening of these market haats,” Kharshiing told reporters here after meeting Sangma on Wednesday.

Kharshiing, said opening  of the traditional border haats are equally important as opening of custom land station as it has a direct impact on the economic livelihood of the people living along the border.

The 38 border haats includes 17 in East Khasi hills district, 11 in South West Khasi hills district, 4 in South Garo hills, 3 in West Garo hills and 3 in Jaintia hills district.

“The Khasi-Jaintia and Garo people inhabiting the entire stretch of 443 Indo Bangla border have been victims of partition, not only was the international border closed but they have been denied their traditional market route towards Sylhet and Chittagong,” Kharshiing said.

Stating that the infrastructure in the border needs to be improve, Kharshiing said, “There is an urgent need to initiate construction of major critical major bridges located at River Prang, Umngot at Dawki, Piyan river at Pyrdiwah, and others and to urgently complete Shella bridge at Hat Shella,”

Kharshiing said this will enable the people to move along the Meghalaya border as there are serious challenges due to the hostile terrain where the landscape altitude is from 25 feet to 3497 feet above sea level with deep gorges and wide span rivers.”

Kharshiing also said that the state government need  to work out short and long term plans for development of proper infrastructure around these strategic traditional border market haats, where barter trade was the customary practice since time immemorial.- By Our Reporter