'M'laya ready for joint verification'

DISPUTED INTER-STATE BOUNDARY

Staff Correspondent

Shillong, April 3: Notwithstanding the Assam Government’s alleged ibility to officially revert back to Meghalaya’s claims over the ‘so called’ disputed area of disputes, State Chief Secretary KS Kropha told exclusively to The Sentinel on Monday that the state claims over the areas is based on the survey of India maps and documentations that should elucidate the fresh official alignment of the inter-state boundary

“We have never plotted our claims. Documents and registered maps were placed with our counterparts at various levels,” stated Kropha while citing to the series of evidences provided by Meghalaya to Assam on the issues related to the vexed inter-state boundary issue.

Both States have long agreed that there are 12 areas of differences along the inter-state boundary. There have been claims and counter claims over these areas that stretches right from the Karbi-Anglong (Assam)to Jaintia-Hills-Ri-Bhoi districts of Meghalaya to the plain belts of Goalpara-Garo Hills district.

Candid in stating that Meghalaya has put before Assam the best arguments –on issues related to fresh and permanent demarcation of the inter-state boundary, the Meghalaya Chief Secretary said, “As we wait for a respond from Assam, the state is ready for any joint verification of the Inter-state boundary on the basis of the official maps and documentations submitted earlier.”

The present government of Assam maintains that there are no areas of dispute between the two states. Assam stand is contrary to the PK Mahanta-EK Mawlong stand that the 12 areas of differences can be solved through a ‘give and take’ policy in 2000.

Even as Assam replenishes its stand under the present regime, the two chief secretaries have been tasked to dwell into the issue. The Chief Secretaries have started working on fresh modalities to address the issue. “Whatever instruction given at the political level will be followed up and our (Meghalya) stand is to pursue with vigour to ensure fresh alignments of the boundary,” stated Kropha.

“Over the years, there might be fresh inhabitations of different people in such areas of dispute but it will not be at the cause of the official surveyed maps and documentations on the ownership”, the Chief Secretary candidly stated. Assam has never official response to Meghalaya submission of papers and the state bureaucracy is looking up for the response before fixing any dates at the highest bureaucratic level. Last Saturday, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and Sarbanda Sonowal carried out the same routine by asking the two Chief Secretaries to sort out the inter-State boundary issue.