Assam-Mizoram Border Dispute yet to be resolved, says Lalchamliana

AIZAWL: The decades-long border dispute between Assam and Mizoram is yet to reach a certain consensus as the matter is yet to be resolved as per the interest of the Mizoram.

This was informed by the Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana in the Assembly on Monday. Replying to the questions of three opposition members of the Congress and the Zoram People''s Movement (ZPM), the minister said that the inter-state border dispute with Assam is yet to be resolved according to the best interest of the state.

While informing that the Centre is working to resolve the boundary issues between both the states, Lalchamliana however, was unaware till when it will be resolved.

As per the Centre's directive in July last year, a nodal officer was appointed by the government in line with the border issue.

Earlier on March 3, Lalchamliana had informed the Assembly that the state cabinet had in July 2019 approved the demarcation notified in 1875 under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 as the actual boundary of Mizoram. The said demarcation notified under the regulation was used as a toposheet to assess the boundary between Mizoram and Assam.

The Home Minister further claimed that as per a document 46 border pillars along the boundary claimed by Mizoram as its actual boundary with Assam was depicted. "The border pillars existed till 1884 as shown in the document. However, it is not known whether or not the pillars are still erected now," he was quoted in reports.

It needs to be mentioned here that Assam and Mizoram have faced frequent border disputes, that has escalated in the recent years. Last year in August and in February this year similar tensions erupted which was later mediated through Centre's intervention.

The three districts of Mizoram, viz., Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit share a 164.6-km inter-state border with Assam. Despite several rounds of talks, a concrete solution to the border issue is still awaited.

Meanwhile, in January the Union Home Minister Amit Shah while speaking at the inauguration of the 69th meeting of the North East Council (NEC) in Shillong said that the inter-state boundary dispute between the Northeastern states will soon be resolved. Shah said this following clashes between the border villages of Assam and Mizoram, highlighting the decades-long boundary disputes in the Northeastern region.

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