Joint meeting of Jorhat and Mokokchung districts fails to yield desired results

A CORRESPONDENT

JORHAT: The joint meeting of Jorhat and Mokokchung districts held on Wednesday at Jorhat Circuit House failed to yield any results.

Tension had erupted at the inter-State boundary since November 10 following construction of a temporary structure, reportedly by Mokokchung, Nagaland administration within the Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest under Mariani range of Jorhat Forest Division, and then positioning armed Nagaland policemen at the site.

Responding to the situation, the Assam Police too, on November 11 put up a temporary camp near the spot where Nagaland policemen were camping in order to prevent any further encroachment by Nagaland.

Deputy Commissioner of MokokchungLimawabangJamir played the same earlier tune regarding the impasse, stating that he had written to the higher authorities and if they assented to the dismantling of the structure, then they would surely do so. "I have raised the concerns of the Jorhat administration with our higher authorities and am hopeful of a positive response," he said.

"Both sides have agreed to have further rounds of deliberations on a regular basis so that such incidents do not occur in the future. We have also agreed that concerns would be taken up at the appropriate level as early as possible and we hope that this crisis is resolved. We agreed to appeal to the people of both Jorhat and Mokokchung districts to exercise maximum restraint so that no enmity is created and no untoward incident takes place," Jamir further said.

"As Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung, I appeal to the people to exercise maximum restraint," he said. He further said that as the matter was subjudice, he would not make any more comments. Regarding the economic blockade by several organizations in Jorhat against Nagaland, he said that both sides suffered in such a situation. "We have asked the Jorhat Deputy Commissioner to ask the organizations to withdraw the blockade," he said.

Meanwhile, as a goodwill gesture in view of the talks, the organizations had withdrawn the blockade for 36 hours starting from Wednesday.

Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Roshni A Korati said that the Jorhat administration had raised objections regarding a bridge constructed over the Jankhona rivulet near the border and also the temporary hut constructed inside the Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest. She further said that she was hopeful that the Nagaland authorities would give a positive response.

Regarding the withdrawal of the blockade, she said that it was being imposed by local organizations and they would have to be requested to withdraw the economic blockade.

Mokochung Superintendent of Police Vishal Chauhan said that the issue should be resolved at the administration level and the people of both sides should not be drawn into this.

"Claims and counter claims are being made by both sides and that is why the Supreme Court has been approached. It should be resolved by the administration. The people have been living together for ages. They do business together, go to each other's festivals, so at a time like this the communities on both sides should not be affected," he said.

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