The governments of Meghalaya and Assam have set a deadline of January 15 to resolve the disputed border in six areas of difference.
This was announced after a round of border talks held between Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati today.
Each state had set up regional committees to understand the ground realities and built the respective state’s case on six disputed areas by meeting the people in the villages along the border.
The six areas of difference that the two states hope to settle by next month are Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pilingkata and Ratacherra. They range in size from Boklapara at 1.57 square kilometres to Gizang, which is of 13.53 sq km.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong informed that the regional committees from both Assam and Meghalaya have been asked to submit their reports to the respective Chief Ministers before December 31. On the Meghalaya side, the reports for West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi have already been submitted, with the Jaintia Hills report still pending.
“Thereafter, on or before January 15, both the Chief Ministers will take a final decision on the outcome of the reports submitted by the regional committees of both the states,” Tynsong said, adding that this demonstrates the commitment of the two sides to finally resolve the border impasse, 50 years since Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate state, a milestone that will be reached on January 21.
However, despite the deadline, Tynsong admitted that resolutions may not be found to all six areas by January 15.
These six areas represent those that the two states feel it would be easiest to resolve. Earlier, the two CMs travelled together to Langpih, one of the most intractable areas of difference.
