Guwahati: The second phase of negotiations over the long-running border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya got under way at the state secretariat in Dispur of Guwahati on Sunday.
According to reports, the meeting has begun and both sides’ officials have arrived.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma arrived today in Guwahati and has reportedly reached the secretariat where talks are underway.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is escorted by high-ranking authorities as well as cabinet ministers Atul Bora and Pijush Hazarika.
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.
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 to resolve the five-decade-old border concerns.
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.
Villages in disputed blocks 1 and 2 that were moved for administrative purposes from the United Khasi and Jaintia district to Assam’s Karbi Anglong district in the 1950s are among the other six areas.
Notably, Assam was divided into Meghalaya and the two states are separated by a distance of 733 kilometres.