Assam, Meghalaya to set up border pillars in five areas
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Guwahati: In a significant development towards settling over half a century old border disputes between Assam and Meghalaya, chief ministers of both states agreed on Monday to install border pillars across five of the 12 areas, where the disputes were resolved in 2022, before the coming Independence Day.
At a joint address to the media here by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma, Sarma said in the sixth area at Pilingkata, some differences in interpretation have arisen which the district magistrates from both states would address soon and "both will sit down again and we'll try to resolve that dispute."
"Also, regarding other six unresolved disputed sites, we have decided to keep talking and keep working and we will see that these also get resolved within a short time.
However, we have not laid any time frame for that. We want to discuss in an environment of mutual trust, friendship and confidence," Sarma said.
Sangma added, "Problems will always be there. Challenges will always be there. What is important is that we must discuss and try to find solutions to the problems. Today is another example of that commitment that is shown both by the Assam govt and the Govt of Meghalaya as stated by the honourable chief minister of Assam."
Sangma said, "We had signed an historic agreement and MoU for the six areas of differences (March, 2022) and now that we are very close to actually finalizing the pillars. Small issues are there which need to be resolved which we have discussed in detail today. And I'm happy to inform you that most likely by the August 15, we will be able to resolve and finalize the actual pillars in the five areas of differences. This will be a major major milestone and another strong testament of the friendship between Assam govt and the Govt of Meghalaya.
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The border dispute between the two states spans 884.9kms, which had 12 contested areas. The March 2022 agreement, signed in New Delhi before Union home minister Amit Shah, addressed six locations. From the 36.79 sqkms of disputed territory addressed initially, Assam received 18.46 sqkms, while Meghalaya got 18.33 sqkms.
Meghalaya was formed in 1972 through separation from Assam. Since then, it has contested the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, which Assam considers its legitimate border.
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