Shillong, May 21: Social organisations in Meghalaya’s Ri Bhoi district today asked the state government to act on the alleged encroachment by the Assam government at Khanapara.

The Khasi Students’ Union and the Federation of Khasi-Jaintia & Garo People, whose leaders visited Khanapara in Ri Bhoi on Friday, alleged that Assam had set up a police outpost there on land that belonged to Meghalaya.

They expressed concern over the government’s “lackadaisical approach” towards the alleged “unabated” encroachment by Assam on Meghalaya land.

Eddie G. Kharbani, president of the North Khasi Hills unit of the FKJGP, said the government’s inaction had led to encroachment on Meghalaya’s land by Assam.

“The unabated encroachment poses a danger as most of the land along the inter-state border would fall under Assam,” Kharbani said.

He said the organisations had given a two-day ultimatum to the state government to act on the “encroachment”. If no action is taken they will chalk out their next course of action.

According to Meghalaya government, there are 12 disputed areas on the inter-state boundary, including Upper Tarabari, Gazang reserve forest, Hahim, Langpih, Borduar, Boklapara, Nongwah-Matamur, Khanapara-Pilangkata, Deshdemoreah blocks I and II, Khanduli and Ratacherra.

Assam, on the other hand, maintains that neighbouring states like Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura have encroached on nearly 78,000 hectares of its land.