Assam-Meghalaya border dispute: Survey underway in six spots

Guwahati: The Survey of India is conducting a land survey at six spots in areas on the Assam-Meghalaya border.

This survey is being done as a follow-up action to the MoU signed by the Assam and Meghalaya governments regarding the boundary disputes between the two neighbouring states that have been pending for a long time. The disputes exist in 12 spots on the interstate border between the two states and have been pending for the past few decades.

It was decided by both governments two to three years ago to amicably settle the simmering border disputes. Both governments set up regional committees to study and report on the six spots—Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim, Baklapara, Pilingkata, and Ratacherra – that were the bone of contention between them.

Finally, on the basis of the report submitted by the committee, a MoU was signed on March 29, 2022, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. According to the MoU, the disputed land comprised 36.79 square km in the six spots mentioned. Assam got an area of 18.46 square km and Meghalaya got 18.33 square km, as per the conditions of the MoU.

The Survey of India, a national mapping agency under the Department of Science and Technology of the Indian government, is the primary authority tasked with drawing up maps showing the demarcation of boundaries between different states.

As the MoU will pave the way for redrawing the boundaries between Assam and Meghalaya, the Survey of India is carrying out a detailed land survey of the areas involved. After completion of the survey, the mapping agency will submit the redrawn map for the opinion of both the Assam and Meghalaya governments. If both parties are amenable to the survey, the boundaries of the two states will be redrawn accordingly.

Although both governments have basically worked out the dispute in six of the 12 spots that are the bone of contention, differences continue to persist in the other six spots on the border of the two states.

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