Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the second phase of addressing disagreements along the state’s border with Meghalaya has begun.
Speaking to the media after today’s negotiations between the two parties in Guwahati, the Assam chief minister noted that the parties had already agreed to settle differences over six points of contention between the two states with the help of Union home minister Amit Shah.
CM Sarma said, “We resolved issues across six of the 12 total areas of dispute earlier in presence of the Union home minister. From today, we have initiated talks to resolve the dispute across the remaining areas.”
“Discussions about the final six categories are ongoing,” he stated. The governments of the two states are cooperating as they move forward.
He continued, “These disputed regions are mostly situated in three districts of Meghalaya.
The regional committee will be established to facilitate the process, the Assam chief minister added.
“Within the following 15 days, a regional committee will be established. The Assam CM stated that this group would tour the in-conflict areas, consult with the inhabitants, and assist in identifying a workable resolution.
He continued, “We have some problems with the Karbi Anglong district of Assam. As a result, the committee will now include officials from the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.”
The second phase is being implemented with some difficulties, according to CM Sarma, who added that the important thing is that the problems are finally being fixed after such a long time and not when they will be.
Conrad K. Sangma, the chief minister of Meghalaya, told reporters after the meeting that both governments are working to improve the situation.
CM Sangma stated that there had been multiple discussions on the issues over the past eight to nine months. He had come in Guwahati earlier today for consultations with his colleague.
This has always been a drawn-out process, but thanks to the Union home minister’s intervention in March, things have been progressing smoothly, he claimed.
The remaining six dispute regions will be the subject of surveys. A regional committee including representatives from Khanduli, Lampi, and the other contested areas will be established within the next 15 days, according to CM Sangma.
He added that members of the group would come from both state governments, including ministers.
It should be mentioned that the two chief ministers of the neighbouring northeastern states had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to settle disagreements over six of the twelve boundary disputes.
To resolve the five-decade-old border concerns, the chief ministers of both states signed the MoU in Delhi in March of this year in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The six disputed areas in Assam and Meghalaya that were put up for final resolution in March were Tarabari, which is 4.69 square kilometres, Gizang, which is 13.53 square kilometres, Hahim, which is 3.51 square kilometres, Boklapara, which is 1.57 square kilometres, Khanapara-Pilangkata, which is 2.29 square kilometres, and Ratacherra, which is 11.20 square kilometres.
Notably, Assam and Meghalaya share a 733-kilometer border after Meghalaya was separated from it.