GUWAHATI: If everything goes according to plan, a big step towards resolving the long-pending boundary dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will be taken with the signing of a draft agreement within this month itself.
According to reports, the Assam government has finalized and will forward a draft agreement for resolution of the border dispute with Arunachal Pradesh for its approval. Once the agreement is signed, it will pave the way for signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to bring an end to the longstanding row between the two states which share an 804 km-long border.,
Assam border area development minister Atul Bora confirmed the development by saying, “The draft of the MoU was discussed threadbare and given a final shape. The copy will now be shared with them (Arunachal Pradesh) and if they approve it, we can proceed to the signing stage, which we expect would be within this month.”
According to Bora, the draft agreement was given a final shape after a review meeting by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday evening. All those connected with the inter-state talks, including members of the 12 regional committees of Assam, local MLAs, MPs and district administration officials were present at the meeting to finalise the draft.
Significantly, Bora also said the MoU will be signed by the two states in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah.
However, he added, “We cannot say that the MoU will be the final solution. The court and Parliament are also there and each of these institutions has to approve it.”
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have been actively engaging in discussions to resolve the border disputes. CM Sarma and his Arunachal counterpart Pema Khandu signed the Namsai Declaration on July 15 last year, in which, both the chief ministers pledged to find solutions to the disputes soon.
The two neighbouring states also decided to restrict the number of ‘disputed villages’ from 123 to 86.
Notably, the regional committees, comprising ministers, local MLAs and officials from both sides dealing with specific areas were formed last year to take the discussion forward.
Arunachal Pradesh, which was made a Union territory in 1972, nursed a grievance that several forest tracts in the plains that had traditionally belonged to its hill tribal chiefs and communities were unilaterally transferred to Assam.
When Arunachal Pradesh achieved statehood in 1987, a tripartite committee with the Centre was set up. It recommended that certain territories be transferred from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh, which Assam contested and the matter is still before the Supreme Court.
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