Assam: Installation of border pillars starts along Assam-Meghalaya border

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKO: Survey teams, administration officers, and employees of Assam and Meghalaya states arrived at the Hahim area of Boko under Kamrup district on Tuesday and started the installation of border pillars between the two states. The installation of pillars started along the Gijang river from Rangthali village in Hahim area. There have been many incidents over the border since the partition of Assam and Meghalaya in 1971. Later, the boundary disputed areas were identified under the leadership of Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.

After much discussion led by the administrations, ministers, and bureaucrats of both the states, twelve areas between the states of Assam and Meghalaya were identified as border disputed areas and six of them were already settled in the first phase on March 29, 2022 which included Hahim, Gijang, Tarabari, Bakalapara, Khanapara-Pilinkata, and Ratachera under the Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro) and Cachar districts of Assam and the West Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi, and East Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya.

The two states had in June 2021 adopted a ‘give-and-take’ policy to start the process of resolving the boundary dispute by constituting three regional committees each. After that, in the 2022 agreement, signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, six of the 12 disputed sites were settled, covering a total of 36.79 sq km, with Assam receiving 18.46 sq km and Meghalaya 18.33 sq km.

The two chief ministers held a meeting on June 2 and decided to erect border pillars in the areas where the border dispute was settled before Independence Day 2025. In conjunction with this, survey teams from both the states and administration officials arrived and started the installation of pillars in the Hahim area. The residents praised the government’s action and said the erection of the pillar was a historic moment.

The installation of the boundary pillars started from Rangthali village in Hahim, Umshek (Mathapota), Maspara, Malapara along the Gijang river and than Ranighar, Salpara along the Tirchang river, Thutia bazaar near Hahim bazar and it will end at Rangsapara after Athiabari village along the Tirchang river. Other survey teams from both the states will also start surveying the Gijang area adjacent to Hahim and installation of boundary pillars soon, an official of the survey team said.

Also Read: Assam and Meghalaya continue their border resolution efforts, with building of boundary pillars in Hahim

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