TURA, Nov 30: A momentous occasion awaits Dalu border belt of West Garo Hills on the 1st of December when Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma inaugurates the new Civil Sub-Division ending a long pending demand for the people of that region.

Dalu will become the 5th civil sub-division of Garo Hills, after Dadenggre (oldest), Raksamgre, Chokpot (South) and recently inaugurated Rongjeng in East Garo Hills.

As many as 188 villages under Dalu Community and Development Block jurisdiction will benefit from becoming a part of the new civil sub division which the Meghalaya Chief Minister has said will help bring administration closer to the people.

Currently, people from Dalu region have to come all the way to Tura, 51 kms away, travelling for over an hour on public transport.

Dalu is a strategic point in Garo Hills due to having the closest border with Bangladesh. It was the scene of major clashes during the Indo-Pakistan war and the Indian army pushed through Dalu into then East Pakistan to liberate the country and see the creation of a new country-Bangladesh.

Today, Dalu is a major economic hub in view of its export point through which minerals, particularly coal from garo Hills and boulders from Bhutan pass through the export point into Bangladesh, bringing in valuable foreign exchange to the country.

The Dalu region is a mixed population comprising of Garos, Dalu and Hajong tribes, besides the ethnic Ruga sub-tribe of the Garos.

Among the 188 villages that will form a part of Dalu Civil Sub-division are Chaipani and Killapara, Amongpara to Darenggre on the outskirts of Tura, Rimrangpara and Kherapara, Halchati, Kochu Adok, Purakhasia, Genapara, Babelapara and Hatimara.