Assam and Nagaland have stressed on the need for both sides to have regular communication between senior officials of the two states looking into the border matters for a cordial relationship, an official said.
A Chief Secretary Level Meeting on Assam-Nagaland border issues was held at Dimapur district of Nagaland on Friday, a release issued by Nagaland government, Principal Secretary, Home Department, Abhijit Sinha said.
In the meeting, it was felt that the Superintendent of Police (SPs) of the bordering districts of the two states should further strengthen, the system of coordination and cooperation among themselves so that prompt action can be taken against criminal and anti-social activities in the border areas, he said.
It was also decided to encourage frequent sports and cultural exchanges between the people of the two states living in the border areas, he said.
Sinha said several important issues pertaining to the inter-state border areas, disputed area belt (DAB), and the provisions of the Special Operating Procedure (SOP) for deployment of CAPFs in DAB along the Assam-Nagaland border were discussed in the meeting.
The Assam team was led by Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna and consisted of Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Jishnu Barua, DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta and other senior officials
The Nagaland team was led by Chief Secretary Temjen Toy and consisted of DGP T John Longkumer, Principal Secretary (Home) Abhijit Sinha and other senior officials.
During the meeting, chief secretary and DGP Nagaland stressed upon the need for maintenance of neutrality by the central forces and other security forces of Assam in the disputed area belt and also for not taking any unilateral action which may create misunderstanding, he said.
The matter regarding the constraints existing in the present SOP from the viewpoint of Nagaland was also brought up and it was impressed for taking suitable corrective measures in this regard, he said.
The Assam chief secretary and other officials brought up the need for having joint patrolling by the security forces of both the states in the disputed area belt and for holding border meetings on a regular basis between the concerned DCs, SPs, and the border magistrates of the two states so that any issue or situation developing anywhere could be sorted out amicably. (PTI)
