BOUNDARY DISPUTES: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Pema Khandu to meet at Namsai today

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will meet his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Pema Khandu tomorrow at Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh to resolve the boundary disputes between the two states.

Tomorrow is the second meeting between the two chief ministers to settle the boundary disputes following the proven Assam-Meghalaya model. The two Chief Ministers met for the first time on boundary disputes on April 20, 2022, in Guwahati. Tomorrow's meeting at Namsai is a follow-up of the April 20 meeting that led to the formation of regional committees for a joint visit to the disputed villages. Twelve regional committee chairmen of each state will attend the meeting. Tomorrow's meeting is crucial for drawing pragmatic plans as fieldwork to resolve the disputes will start soon.

The April 20 meeting was crucial for reaching the consensus between the two chief ministers for an out-of-the-court settlement of the boundary disputes as they have a case pending in the Supreme Court for decades.

Talking to The Sentinel, Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora said, "Assam has boundary disputes with several neighbouring states. Resolving boundary disputes with the neighbouring states is one of the priorities of the present State Government led by Honourable Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. With Meghalaya, we have an agreement to resolve boundary disputes at six of the 12 stretches. We are trying to resolve boundary disputes with Arunachal Pradesh amicably, following the Assam-Meghalaya line. Both the chief ministers are drawing plans with positive minds. We believe we will resolve the boundary disputes amicably with Arunachal Pradesh."

Bora said, "The 12 regional committees of each of the two states will jointly visit 123 disputed villages along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary, take opinions of the local populace, study the demographic pattern and file reports to their respective chief ministers."

Assam shares an 804.10 km boundary with Arunachal Pradesh.

Assam guardian ministers head the 12 regional committees as chairmen. Minister Atul Bora heads five regional committees for disputed areas along the Tinsukia-Lohit border, Tinsukia-Lower Debang Valley, Tinsukia-Namsai, Tinsukia-Changlang and Tinsukia & Dibrugarh-Tirap boundary areas.

Minister Ashok Singhal heads the committee along Udalguri & Sonitpur-West Kameng boundary. Pijush Hazarika heads one regional committee along Sonitpur and Biswanth-Pakke Kessang border.

Minister Sanjay Kishan heads four regional committees along Biswanath & Lakhimpur-Papumpare, Lakhimpur-Kamle, Dhemaji-Lower Siang and Tinsukia-East Siang borders.

Minister Bimal Borah heads one committee along the Dibrugarh & Charaideo-Longding border.

Each of the 12 regional committees has a guardian secretary, jurisdictional MLAs and border-conscious persons as members. The jurisdictional deputy commissioners are member-conveners.

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