Assam-Meghalaya Border Row : Disputes Will Be Resolved Along 6 Areas By January 15

Posted in Assam, Featured, Meghalaya, Northeast

 

  • NET Web Desk

In an attempt to sort out the long-pending boundary conflict between the two northeastern states, the Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma & Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday have decided to resolve the boundary disputes along 6 disputed areas by January 15.

The meeting held at Koinadhara state guest house in Guwahati on Wednesday evening decided that regional committees constituted by both the northeastern states will submit their reports to the respective Chief Ministers by December 31.

According to Meghalaya’s Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, the meeting concluded with a “productive note”, and both the Chief Ministers have decided to mark 6 disputed areas among 12 for maintaining further peace between the two states.

“The meeting has decided that the regional committees formed by both the states will submit their reports to the respective Chief Ministers by December 31. After that, both the CMs will meet again and by January 15 we are hopeful of resolving the disputes in the six locations,” – stated the Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister.

The Meghalaya Deputy CM accompanied by Assam’s Agriculture and Border Area Development Minister Atul Bora asserted that in the first phase, 6 disputed locations were mutually studied, and after resolving inter-state disputes along these 6 areas, the remaining six locations will be taken into account.

Meanwhile, the six disputed locations are – Tarabari, Gizang, Fahala, Baklapara, Khanapara (Pilingkata) and Ratacherra. These areas fall under Cachar, Kamrup and Kamrup Metropolitan districts of Assam and West Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya.

After meeting with the Meghalaya CM, the Assam CM tweeted, “We have been continuously striving to resolve border issues with our neighbours. As part of our effort, held a meeting with my Meghalaya counterpart Shri Conrad K. Sangma along with Deputy CM Meghalaya Shri Prestone Tynsong & several ministers and senior officers of both states.”

“Our regional committees have submitted their reports & we are working towards final agreement on many disputed border areas. I am confident that gradually we will be able to resolve all-long pending border issues with Meghalaya & other neighbouring states.” – he further tweeted.

Its worthy to note that for settling the border disputes in 12 locations, Assam and Meghalaya in August had formed various regional committees led by Cabinet Ministers and officials of the two states to focus on five aspects – historical facts, ethnicity, administrative convenience, contiguity of the land, willingness and people’s sentiments.

Based on the same, the regional committees formed by both northeastern states were tasked with the responsibility of making joint visits to “areas of differences” along the inter-state border, thereby interacting with all stakeholders, village heads, record their views, and finally submit their reports.

Assam has border disputes with Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

According to sources, the Assam Chief Minister will hold a meeting with the Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio by December 23 or December 24, for discussing about the border disputes.

However, recently, the Assam Chief Minister and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday met the Union Home Affairs & Cooperation Minister Amit Shah at New Delhi to discuss the long-pending border row between these states. Referring the discussion as “fruitful”, Sarma added that next round of discussions between the two states will take place on January 2022.

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