Northeast Desk, 14th August: In a bid to ease escalating tensions between Meghalaya and Assam, former Meghalaya minister Lahkmen Rymbui has urged the chief ministers of both states to engage in dialogue. Rymbui’s call for pragmatism and practicality comes after Assam’s decision to withhold transit passes for wine shop materials traveling from Shillong to Garo Hills via Assam.
Rymbui took to Twitter to suggest that Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma should sit down and discuss the issues at hand. He questioned whether Meghalaya should retaliate by blocking transportation from Guwahati to Barak Valley, highlighting the need for calm and constructive conversation.
The former minister also drew attention to potential environmental disputes, including Assam’s plans to file a case against USTM in the National Green Tribunal. Rymbui proposed that Meghalaya could counter by addressing pollution from industries near Byrnihat, which he described as “the most polluted town in India.”
Furthermore, Rymbui speculated about the possibility of Bangladesh filing a case against Meghalaya over flood-causing heavy rains, emphasizing the need for regional cooperation and diplomacy.
Rymbui’s tweet has sparked a renewed call for dialogue and cooperation between the two states, as tensions continue to rise. Will the chief ministers heed his advice and sit down to discuss the pressing issues at hand? Only time will tell.