FOUR DISPUTED VILLAGES: Regional committees to send report to Centre for final decision

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The regional committees formed to resolve the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border issue have not been able to take a decision on four disputed villages – Baliso, Dipik, Passo and Dikalmukh. As these four villages fall mainly in the forest area, the committees expressed inability to take a final decision and insisted on sending a report of recommendation to the Central Government through the chief ministers of the two states. The Centre will take the final decision on these four villages.

A meeting of the regional committees formed to resolve the boundary issue between the two states was held at the Assam Administrative Staff College, Khanapara in Guwahati today. Assam Water Resources, Information and Public Relations Minister Pijush Hazarika and Arunachal Pradesh Forest Minister Mama Natung participated in the meeting.

In early September, members of the regional committees of the two states, led by the ministers, visited the four villages in Biswanath of Assam and Pakke Kesang districts of Arunachal Pradesh. In today's meeting, both the committees discussed in detail for the preparation of the final report to be submitted to the chief ministers of both the states. In the meeting, interactions with the local people during their visit to Baliso, Dipik, Passo and Dikalmukh and their wishes and reluctance were discussed. The committees' report focuses on the desire of the local residents of Baliso, Dipik and Dikalmukh to stay with Arunachal Pradesh while half of the residents of Passo village expressing their willingness to stay with Assam.

After the meeting, Pijush Hazarika and Mama Natung jointly addressed media persons. "Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu are keen to resolve the border issue between the two states and for the same, several regional committees were formed in the Chief Minister's level meeting held in Namsai a couple of months back," they said.

They said that while all the residents of the first three villages in Biswanath and Pakke Kesang districts of Arunachal, namely Dikalmukh, Dipika and Baliso, expressed their desire to stay with Arunachal Pradesh, half of the people of Passo expressed their desire to stay with Assam. They added that final shape of the report was given in today's meeting on the basis of such experiences during the period of the regional committees' field visit and the report would be submitted to the chief ministers of the two states.

"At a time when north-eastern states, ashtalakshmi, as referred by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are moving towards development, resolving the boundary issue between the states is a very important and necessary step. We cannot live in peace by fighting with our neighbours, we all have to live together," said Hazarika.

Today's meeting was attended by the two ministers of both the states as well as Arunachal Pradesh MLA Biyuram Waghe, Commissioner Secretary to the Government of Assam, Shantanu P. Gotmare, Deputy Commissioner of Pakke Kesang district and other officials of the Forest Department, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Biswanath district and other officials.

Also Read:   ASSAM-ARUNACHAL BORDER ISSUES: Efforts on to submit reports to CM by October 15

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