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.
To settle the border disputes, Assam and Meghalaya in August had formed various regional committees led by Ministers and officials of the two states to focus on five aspects -- historical facts, ethnicity, administrative convenience, contiguity of the land, willingness and people's sentiments.
Also read: Assam, Meghalaya try to resolve 6 of 12 border disputes
An official said that the Assam Chief Minister is now likely to go to Delhi on Thursday or Friday to hold a meeting with his Nagaland counterpart Neiphiu Rio to discuss the inter-state border disputes.
Assam has border disputes with Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram. Assam's border dispute cases with Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh are before the Supreme Court but there are no cases on the inter-state disputes with Meghalaya and Mizoram.
Recently, Assam and Nagaland had signed an agreement to remove state forces from the disputed locations. Sarma recently discussed an out-of court settlement of the boundary disputes with his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Pema Khandu.
IANS
