Assam and Meghalaya teams interact with fringe-dwellers

OUR BUREAU

GUWAHATI/BOKO: A regional committee from Assam and another from Meghalaya today visited disputed areas along the boundary between the two states and interacted with the local populace.

Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora led the Assam team. Meghalaya's PHE Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar led the team from the neighbouring state.

The two teams made an on-the-spot visit to Upper Tarabari, bordering the Kamrup District of Assam and the Ri-Bhoi District of Meghalaya.

Both the committees interacted with the local people of the village, asked about their ration cards, Aadhaar cards, Elector's Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) and what benefits they get from each of the two states. The two teams also examined the geographical area of the village.

The villagers of Upper Tarabari most;y want to be with Meghalaya as they feel that the Assam Government does precious little for them.

The two committees also visited Dabaktrob and Gamarimura border areas today. However, on the way back from Dabaktrob, some Garo people of the Salbari area said they wanted to be with Assam.

The Assam team comprises MLA Nandita Das, Commissioner-Secretary of Border Protection and Development Department GD Tripathy, Kamrup Deputy Commissioner Kailash Kartik and Kamrup SP Hitesh Ray.

Talking to The Sentinel after the border visit, Minister Atul Bora said, "A regional committee each from Assam and Meghalaya visited the disputed border areas between the two states. We took the opinions of the local people. We are hopeful of amicable solutions to the boundary disputes between the two states. We will hold more talks with Meghalaya. The three regional committees on boundary disputes will submit their reports to the Chief Minister soon."

Earlier, the Government of Assam constituted three five-member regional committees to examine the present status of the inter-state boundary areas with Meghalaya. It is a development following the two rounds of talks between the Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya – Himanta Biswa Sarma and Conrad K Sangma – respectively on the inter-state boundary disputes between the two states.

These committees of Assam will submit their reports based on the inspection of the villages and agreed yardsticks of historical perspective, ethnicity of the local population, administrative convenience of local people, contiguity with the boundary and the perception of the people living in the area.

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