Assam - Meghalaya Border: Pact to resolve disputes in 6 stretches

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam and Meghalaya signed an agreement to resolve their boundary disputes in six of the 12 disputed stretches in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi today.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K Sangma signed the agreement to resolve the protracted disputes in six of the 12 disputed stretches along the 884.9-km border between the two states.

"It is a historic day for the Northeast," Union Home Minister Amit Shah said at the function. A disputed area of 36.79 sq km has 36 villages in six places. 18.52 sq km of the disputed area will remain with Assam and 18.28 sq with Meghalaya.

On July 23, 2021, the two states decided to work towards the resolution of the disputes in six sectors – Hahim, Gizang, Tarabari, Baklapara, Pilingkota and Ratacherra — in Kamrup, Kamrup (M) and Cachar districts of Assam; and in West Khasi Hill, East Khasi Hill and Ri-Bhoi districts of Meghalaya.

Assam and Meghalaya had formed three committees each in August last year to go into the vexed boundary question. The formation of the committees followed two rounds of talks between Sarma and Sangma. And they resolved to settle the disputes in phases. The boundary disputes between Assam and Meghalaya lingered for 50 years. Efforts to resolve the disputes gained pace in recent times.

Talking to the media after signing the agreement, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "It's a historic occasion for the peoples of Assam and Meghalaya. Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate state in 1972 without a clear-cut demarcation of the boundary under the Assam Reorganization Act, 1971, leading to disputes. Every succeeding year, the number of disputed areas increased. The two governments sat across the table and reduced the number of disputed areas to 12. Today, we have settled the disputes in six stretches without much harm to any of the two states. Talks for resolving the other six disputed stretches are also going on.

"Such talks are also going on with Arunachal Pradesh. Preliminary discussions also started with Nagaland and Mizoram governments to solve boundary disputes. If we can solve boundary disputes among the north-eastern states, the united region can go ahead for peace and development. We don't see the Northeast spirit because of the border disputes. This morning, I informed the Prime Minister of the border agreement before signing it."

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, "I thank Union Home Minister Amit Shah for this guidance, leading to the signing of this agreement to solve the boundary disputes between us. I'm happy that we have resolved to settle six of the 12 disputed locations today. I hope, we will resolve the disputes in the remaining six disputed locations in the days to come.

"I hope, the other states of the Northeast will take the boundary agreement between Assam and Meghalaya as an example to resolve the differences between them. I believe that without resolving boundary disputes, the states in the region cannot develop themselves.

"Today's agreement identified the disputed areas and the villages. The Survey of India will survey the disputed border, leading to the demarcation of the inter-state border as per the agreement. Over the years, the historic boundary got importance. We gave importance to the villagers' wishes in the disputed areas this time."

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