NC Hills situation to be tackled: CM

GUWAHATI, May 31 Asserting that the worsening situation in the trouble-torn NC Hills district would be reversed, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that the State Government was ready to take up the responsibility of completing the four-lane East-West corridor in the district in the event of the construction firms abandoning the project amidst escalating militant threats. “If the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) withdraws from the project, we are ready to take the responsibility of completing the project in the district. We will take up the matter with the Government of India in such an eventuality,” Gogoi said at a press conference.

The Chief Minister said that both the State Government and the Centre were serious about restoring normalcy in NC Hills. “The situation in NC Hills has to improve, and the Centre has agreed to reinforce more security forces,” he said.

On the prospects of having a ceasefire with the DHD (J), the main perpetrator of violence in the district, Gogoi said that tgruce would be possible only when the outfit agreed to shun violence, surrender their arms and stay in designated camps. “A ceasefire will be possible only when these conditions are fulfilled by the ultras,” he added.

The Chief Minister claimed that there was no food shortage in NC Hills or in neighbouring Mizoram following frequent suspension of train services due to militant violence. “Services of goods train have resumed, and trucks are also plying,” he said.

Underscoring the need to facilitate development in remote and border areas such as NC Hills, Gogoi said that it was futile to resolve insurgency without addressing the development concerns in those areas.

“We will soon introduce a special development package for the State’s border areas,” he announced.

Gogoi said that the rugged terrain of NC Hills bereft of roads and lack of coordination among the different security forces engaged in counter-insurgency hampered operations against the ultras.

Gogoi also admitted that the Government was finding it difficult to check the flow of development funds to the coffers of militant outfits.

On the fresh wave of floods in lower Assam – attributed to the sudden release of water from a dam in Bhutan – Gogoi said that there was room for improving coordination and flood forecasting among neighbouring nations as well as States. “We are taking up the issue with the authorities concerned,” he said.

To another question, the Chief Minister replied that he was not satisfied with the accommodation of a single minister in the Central Cabinet. “I am not satisfied, I wanted three berths in the ministry for my MPs,” he said.