The Chief Minister-level meeting between Meghalaya and Assam on the vexed boundary issue will be held on Friday.
According to sources, the meeting between Conrad Sangma and his counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma will be held at the Secretariat at 5pm.
This will be the first formal meeting at this level since April 1, 2017. Then, Dr Mukul Sangma, the then Chief Minister of Meghalaya, had met Sarma’s predecessor, Sarbananda Sonowal, in Guwahati.
During the meeting it was decided to hold Chief Secretary-level meetings to iron out differences and reach conclusions acceptable to the people of both states.
Both the CM had agreed to take steps to amicably demarcate the 12 disputed areas at the border and fix boundary pillars.
Recently, the current Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma, said that there is a need to have a fresh approach on the border imbroglio so that things can move forwards.
“If we are stuck in the past, we won’t be able to move forward,” Conrad had said.
In the past, Meghalaya has submitted documents and maps on its claim to the 12 sectors/areas of Upper Tarabari, Gizang Reserve Forest, Hahim, Langpih, Borduar, Boklapara, Nongwah-Matamur, Khanapara-Pillangkata, Deshdemoreah, Block I and Block II, Khanduli-Psiar and Ratacherra.
The total area of difference is 2,765.14 square km, of which Blocks I and II cover 1,583.42 square km.
The Meghalaya Assembly had, in March 2011, passed a resolution to urge the central government to constitute a boundary commission to re-examine and redefine the inter-state boundary between the two states.
The Assam assembly adopted another resolution that went against that of Meghalaya.
