Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday decided to resolve the six of the 12 inter-state border disputes before January 15.
Meghalaya's Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that Wednesday's meeting was "productive" and "good".
"The meeting has decided that the regional committees formed by both the states will submit their reports to the respective Chief Ministers by December 31. After that, both the CMs will meet again and by January 15, we are hopeful of resolving the disputes in the six locations," he told the media after the meeting.
Tysong, accompanied by Assam's Agriculture and Border Area Development Minister Atul Bora said that in the first phase, six disputed locations are being mutually studied and after resolving these, the remaining disputes would be taken up. The six disputed locations are Tarabari, Gizang, Boklapara, Pillangkata, Ratacherra, and Hahim.
After the meeting, Sarma tweeted: "We have been continuously striving to resolve border issues with our neighbours. As part of our effort, held a meeting with my Meghalaya counterpart Shri Conrad K. Sangma along with Deputy CM Meghalaya Shri Prestone Tynsong & several ministers and senior officers of both states.
"Our regional committees have submitted their reports and we are working towards final agreement on many disputed border areas. I am confident that gradually we will be able to resolve all-long pending border issues with Meghalaya and other neighbouring states."
According to the Assam Chief Minister, of the 12 locations along Assam's Cachar, Kamrup and Kamrup (metro) districts and Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills districts, six disputed locations with lesser complications were taken up first.