Assam-Arunachal Border Row: Natung Pushes Faster Joint Field Visits to Resolve Disputes

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Mama Natung has directed the 12 regional committees of Assam and his state to expedite joint field visits and consultations for resolving the remaining inter-state boundary issues, stressing that dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding were key to an early settlement.

Natung reviewed the progress of the boundary settlement process at a meeting with Principal Secretary (Home) Kaling Tayeng, Commissioner (Home) Nyali Ete and senior officials of the Home and Inter-State Boundary Affairs (ISBA) departments on Tuesday, an official statement said on Wednesday.

He asked the chairmen of the regional committees to undertake the pending field visits at the earliest in close coordination with their counterparts in Assam and ensure that the process at the ground level moves ahead through consultations. The minister said sustained engagement between the two states and constructive political consensus were essential for arriving at an early, amicable and mutually acceptable settlement of the remaining issues.

He also underlined the need to maintain peace and harmony among communities living along the inter-state boundary and strengthen the cordial relations between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The review comes against the backdrop of the Namsai Declaration signed by the chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on July 15, 2022, which marked a significant step towards resolving the decades-old boundary dispute.

The declaration reduced the number of disputed villages from 123 to 86 after both sides agreed to settle the issue through discussions and joint verification.

The process gained further momentum with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two states in April 2023. The agreement settled the status of 71 of the 123 disputed villages identified earlier, while the remaining areas were left for further examination through the regional committees.

The two states subsequently stepped-up joint surveys and field verification in the disputed areas with the involvement of officials and the Survey of India. The exercise is aimed at identifying the ground position and facilitating physical demarcation wherever agreements have been reached.

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