Effort on to resolve Arunachal-Assam boundary disputes: Minister Bamang Felix

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Bamang Felix on Monday informed that the State government has indulged in massive exercise with Assam to resolve the long-pending boundary dispute between the two neighbouring States.

Referring to the recent eviction notice served by Assam forest official to several villages of the state, Felix while terming it as 'unfortunate' informed that Chief Minister Pema Khandu spoke to his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma and apprised him about the veracity of the issue.

The Range Forest Officer (RFO) of Harmutty range under Assam's North Lakhimpur district had issued an eviction notice of 15 days to the people of Bello, Lora and Bukha villages under Kimin Circle recently which evoked strong resentment among various organizations in the State.

"The matter has been seriously taken by the State government and various levels of talk already began. State chief secretary has taken up the matter with Assam chief secretary and IGP also took up the matter with his Assam counterpart," Felix told reports at Civil Secretariat here.

"The DC and SPs of adjoining districts of both the States are already on talks to resolve the matter," he said adding, both the governments have agreed for peaceful settlement of the boundary issue and has agreed to maintain status quo.

The minister responding to the dawn-to-dusk capital bandh call given by the Nyishi Students' Union (ANSU) on Tuesday informed that the students' body had earlier served a 14-point memorandum to the government with several issues on September 4 which were duly fulfilled and intimated to the union on October 15.

"The education department under the supervision of the minister addressed the issues in record time of 40 days. In regards to the demand for withdrawal of FIR against ANSU leaders, there are no such legal provisions. The State government has no power whatsoever to withdraw a FIR unilaterally," Felix said.

Quoting an order of the Supreme Court, Felix said that any organization calling bandh and damages and losses caused would be borned by the organization concerned. "The State government has made all out effort to tell the ANSU that all their issues have been resolved and there is no ground to go for bandh. Our brothers, however, seems to be adamant," he said.

The home minister added that the State government would like to assure the citizens of the capital region that the police and the district administration would ensure safety and security of its people. "Adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure that the daily affair of the capital region is not affected by the bandh call. While all government offices will function normally, state transport busses will be placed for picking and dropping off the employees," he said and appealed the business establishments to open their shops as usual and private transports to ply.

Felix also requested the ANSU to call off the bandh in the greater interest of the state and its people. Moreover, he said, there is an exam scheduled under CBSE board on November 23 which would adversely affect the academic career of the students appearing for the exams. "ANSU being a student organisation should consider this aspect of the student interest also," he added.

The ANSU has submitted 14-point demands to the State government earlier relating to education sector in Nyishi inhabited districts of the state.

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