Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma are likely to meet on August 21 at Guwahati to discuss on the modalities for the second phase of boundary settlement.
Informing this today, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the proposed meeting between the two chief ministers would be a preliminary one.
“After this preliminary meeting, both the chief minister will set the stage for setting up of regional committees as was done in the first phase of the boundary talks,” Tynsong said.
The two north-eastern states have earlier agreed to demarcate the boundary along six areas of differences after conclusion of the first phase of the border dialogue.
Under the agreement for the first phase of boundary settlement, Assam got full control of 18.51 sq km and Meghalaya 18.28 sq km. Of the 36 villages claimed by Meghalaya in 2011, 30 remained in Meghalaya
The areas where the boundary has been settled are Upper Tarabari, Gizang reserve forest, Hahim, Borduar, Boklapara, Nongwah, Mawtamur, Khanapara-Pilangkata
The next phase of the boundary talks will be on the remaining six areas of differences which include Langpih, Block-1 and Block-2.
Recently, a delegation from villages under Block-2 met Sangma and reiterated their demand that they should be kept under Meghalaya.
Since the second phase of border talks is going to be quite tough, it will remain to be seen how the regional committees that will be formed will address the issue so that no border residents feel cheated or dissatisfied.
