Silchar, Aug. 24: Dima Halam Daogah (Nunisa) chairman Dilip Nunisa is scheduled to visit Cachar early next week to meet leaders of all communities inhabiting areas bordering Dima Hasao to arrive at a consensus on amalgamation of a few Cachar villages with the adjoining district.
Talking to The Telegraph over phone last night from Dima Hasao, Nunisa said he had tentatively fixed either Sunday or Monday to visit Cachar for three days. He said he would meet representative leaders of all the principal communities residing in the foothills of Barail hills, including the Dimasas, Bengalis and tea garden populace.
The DHD (Nunisa) has demanded integration of 18 Dimasa-inhabited villages in Cachar with Dima Hasao as part of a possible tripartite treaty to be signed by the rebel group with the Centre and Assam government.
This proposed integration has triggered a furore in the Bengali-speaking district, with the people from the plains expressing resentment against the proposal by the one-time rebels.
Another rebel outfit, the Dimasa National Liberation Front, is also allegedly pushing for integration and crossing over into the Cachar villages to push their cause.
Cachar SP Diganta Bora said there was no cause for alarm, as paramilitary forces had been deployed in and around the villages.
Former Assam minister and the present parliamentary secretary for housing Dinesh Prasad Goala allayed amalgamation fears by making it clear that Dispur would firmly oppose such a move.
Police sources here said personnel of 6th Assam armed police battalion, 15th IRB and CRPF's 147 battalion had been deployed in areas bordering Dima Hasao in a bid to fend off any disturbances. Two companies of an army artillery brigade have also been posted at Laboc and Harinagar in Cachar to back up police and paramilitary forces.
Nunisa is confident that the misgivings of Cachar's border residents about the possible redrawing of the border maps would be dissipated. He said integration of 18 Cachar villages was "justified". DHD (Nunisa) sources in Haflong identified these villages as Joypur Part 2, 3 and 5, Kamakpur, Lal Cherra, Doloicherra, Krishnanagar, Uttar Doloicherra, Sonpur, Dharmanagar, Mugar Basti, Dipu Cherra, Kumacherra, Salamatpur, Laduma North, Laduma South, Baigajin and Thailoo basti.