Centre to help defuse border tension

High-level team to visit Assam-Mizoram border

From a Correspondent

New Delhi, March 20: A team led by the Joint secretary (Northeast) in the Union Home Ministry, Satyendra Garg, will visit Assam-Mizoram border within a week to take stock of the ground situation.

Garg will be accompanied by the principal secretaries (Home) of Mizoram and Assam. The team will also be assisted by officials of the Survey of India.

The high-level team will submit its findings to the Union Home Secretary which will be discussed at a follow-up meeting with the chief secretaries of the two States. Thereafter, a meeting will be convened by the Union Home Minister with Chief Ministers of Assam and Mizoram. The next meeting on the issue is likely to take place on April 1.      

This was decided at a meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba at North Block on Tuesday. Assam Chief Secretary TY Das and Mizoram Chief Secretary Lalmalswama were present at the meeting. Rajiv Jain, Director, Intelligence Bureau was also present at the meeting, in addition to the DGPs of the two States.

“We have discussed in detail the situation along the Assam-Mizoram border. A team led by Joint Secretary (NE) will visit the area very soon,” said Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay.  

The meeting on the inter-State border issue was convened by Home Minister Rajth Singh after the recent incidents at Bairabari in Hailakandi district on March 8 and 10.

Both the State governments reiterated their commitment to maintain peace and resolve the issues amicably. It was decided that status quo would be maintained at the spot of the incident and assembly of people at the site would not be allowed.