Shillong, May 29: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma met his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati today to discuss the situation in Lapangap, a periodic flashpoint along the disputed Meghalaya-Assam border.
Tensions had flared earlier this month after Meghalaya villagers alleged that authorities in Assam had obstructed them from cultivating land in Lapangap, which sits, as Meghalaya claims it, in West Jaintia Hills.
Sangma said that the meeting was positive and some measures had been worked out which could help in diffusing the situation. Officials will take steps in the coming days to try and resolve the issues.
Assam and Meghalaya have a long-standing dispute in 12 areas along the 884.9km-long inter-state border. The two states had signed an agreement in March 2022 in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to end disputes in six areas. However, the second phase has been consistently stalled by Assam for one reason or another.
The most recent delay was attributed to the state elections in Assam. It is nearly a month now since the new government was formed – basically a continuation of the former administration led by Sarma himself – and yet the Meghalaya CM has gone along with a further delay, saying that once the new government is “settled” further discussions will take place on the pending six areas of difference.
Meanwhile, in a post on social media, Sarma said that the talks today had been “excellent” and “some good progress” was made. On the boundary demarcation process, the two sides agreed to expedite the ongoing process and bring a lasting solution to the matter, he added.
