Boundary Disputes: Assam Government to move Delhi for Commission

INTER-STATE BOUNDARY DISPUTES

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government has told the Assembly that it will take up with the Centre the issue of encroachment of Assam land by the neighbouring States. According to the State government, 83918.7199 hectares of Assam lands have been under encroachment of the neighbouring States that share borders with Assam.

“We’re going to take up the inter-State boundary disputes with the Centre to solve them. With many of the neighbouring States being ruled by the BJP or its allies, the issue will also be taken up politically,” State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said, while replying to a query from AGP MLA Pabindra Deka.

Patowary further said, “We’ve boundary-related cases with a few neighbouring States in the Supreme Court. Now we’re going to approach the Centre for the formation of a Commission to settle the inter-State boundary disputes forever. If the disputes are resolved mutually, it’s better.”

Based on a media report, Pabindra Deka said that Arunachal Pradesh has carved out a new district seven km inside Assam. The Minister, however, said that the government has no such information.

Deka also said that apart from Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya also encroached upon Assam land. “When there are boundary disputes, talks are held at the Deputy Commissioner-level. However, such talks fail to yield any results. If need be, a Commission should be set up to resolve the inter-State border disputes, and the State government should approach the Centre with such a proposal,” he said.

Meanwhile, replying to another query from AGP MLA Utpal Dutta, Patowary informed the House that Assam has boundary dispute-related cases with Nagaland (O.S. No. 2/1988) and with Arunachal Pradesh (O.S. No. 1/1989) in the Supreme Court of India.

According to Patowary, while Arunachal Pradesh has encroached upon 21343.25 hectares of Assam land, Nagaland has encroached upon 59490 hectares, 1524.4699 hectares by Meghalaya, 1536 hectares by Mizoram and 25 hectares by Tripura.

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