Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, MAY 30
A day after taking oath as Parliamentary Secretary for Women Development and Border Affairs, Thomas Lotha has underlined the need to empower people living in inter-state border areas to rid themselves from the perennial border disputes and help them come at par with other developed districts.
The new initiative is aimed at mitigating the problems of the Nagas living in the common border areas. It will also the first of its kind in the history of Nagaland which would eventually involve other tribal states bordering Assam.
Interacting with media persons in his Khermahal residence this afternoon, Thomas said he plans to empower the village authorities in the border areas under the safeguard of Article 371 (A). By this, he said, village authorities living in the border areas will have authorities to issue land pattas to enable them undertake any developmental works.To materialize the programme, Thomas has sought involvement of other related departments including the Forest and Land Revenue to make it effective in its implementation.
He has specifically stressed the need for a joint coordination committee with all North East tribal states to resolve border disputes, especially with Assam.
“We will definitely try to take this common border issue in a higher level by inviting the opinions of all tribal states bordering Assam. So far, Nagaland and other NE states have always been at the receiving end when it comes to border dispute with Assam,” Thomas said.
On the home front, the new Parliamentary Secretary has decided to convene a coordination meeting involving the district administration, Forest department and Land Revenue department along with village councils of border areas to chalk out strategies to protect the interest of the State’s border.
According to Thomas, no authority or legal court could question the village authority in the country pertaining to Naga context which is safeguarded under Article 371 (A). He said the State would try to work out a formula on how village councils in border areas could be authorized to issue land pattas by paying nominal fee to the government as land revenue. To substantiate his point, he said it would be the bounden duty of the State government to protect lives and properties as long as the people land tax to the government.
Thomas said once the initiative is put into motion, the State government and Forest department will have the responsibility to protect and safeguard the lives, property and forests of people in border areas.
Further, Thomas has suggested reviewing of the 1972 border agreement between Assam and Nagaland. He said the agreement was “one-sided” which is not at all acceptable to Nagas. He pointed out that there was no logic in neutral forces like CRPF manning border areas when these neutral forces were acting directly under command of an IGP of Assam Police.
“A fresh agreement acceptable to both Assam and Nagaland should be inked to settle the border disputes...then there would be no need for neutral forces to man the border areas”, the Parliamentary Secretary said.
Thomas also said the Centre should work in close coordination with states when it comes to international or inter-state border issues.
Expressing reservation about the Defence Ministry’s directive that no survey works can be undertaken within 50 kms of the international border, he said this would not augur well for the much-touted “Look East Policy.”
While questioning the wisdom of the Defense Ministry to debar survey work in the border area, Thomas has assured to take up the issue with the former for exploration and exploitation of mineral resources bestowed upon the State.
On women development, Thomas Lotha has assured to take up the issued in strict compliance with the guidelines provided by the government of India.
