On Sunday, Minister Assam Mohan Patwary and Meghalaya’s Home Minister Lakhmen Rymbui met to resolve the long-term border dispute between the two states.
Minister Assam Mohan Patwary and Meghalaya’s home Minister Lakhmen Rymbai met on Sunday, October 9, 2021, to resolve the long-term border dispute between the two states.
The meeting took place at Silchar in Assam. The two states have disputes over 12 areas, but the focus of this meeting was initiated with resolving the issues of the six areas.
Earlier, the Assamese Minister and the Meghalaya Deputy CM had jointly visited the border areas in Shillong, inspecting the interstate border areas to settle the long-pending boundary dispute between these two Northeast States.
Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, Assam Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika, MLA Atul Bora along with senior officials of the two States inspected Maikhuli, Pilingkata, Patarkuchi and Ganeshnagar and Khanapara areas.
Minister Pijush Hazarika had said, “the joint team has come to the areas to understand the local people’s opinion about the boundary dispute and inspect developmental activities”.
Mr Hazarika had said, “the joint team has come to the areas to understand the local people’s opinion about the boundary dispute and inspect developmental activities”.
They had interacted with the locals to know their opinion and understand their views on the border issues.
The Reason for Dispute.
An old boundary dispute between Assam and Mizoram exploded in violent clashes at the border point in August 2021, leading to the death of at least five Assam Police personnel.
The northeast border conflicts go back to an extended time, especially states connected to Assam or formal parts of Assam. In October 2020, the locals of Assam and Mizoram had crashed twice a week over the region, in which more than eight people were injured, and a few small shops and huts were burned.
The History of Conflict
“If two fishes are seen fighting then, you can be sure that a British has caused it” is an old saying which sadly still relevant in not just India but across the globe.
Meghalaya was carved out of Assam under the Assam Reorganization Act, 1971, officially on January 21, 1972. This change of law leads the beginning of the Assam-Meghalaya dispute.
In present days, Assam and Meghalaya share an 885 kilometers long border, holding 12 points of border disputes. The dispute points are- the areas of Upper Tarabari, Hahim, Langpih, Gazang reserve forest, Retacherra, Borduar, Boklapara, Matamur, Khanapara-Pilangkata, Nongwah, Deshdemoreah Block I and Block II, and Khanduli.
The district of Langpih in West Garo Hills edging the Kamrup district of Assam used to be a part of the Kamrup district during the British colonial period. Still, post-Independence, it became a part of the Garo Hills and Meghalaya. The main dispute of the region is on the acceptance of the demarcations made in 1951 and 1972.
In 1951 demarcation, the disputed areas like Psiar, Khatkasla border Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills and Assam’s Karbi Anglong District. In 1972 demarcation made by Assam included numerous regions of the then Mikir Hill District.
Present Day Situation
Two states have been under a constant state of tension and dispute for claiming the village of Langpih for the last half-century, a village that is one of the most underdeveloped villages.
The conflict between the states has only led to the distress and loss of the residents and locals. This new initiative of truce may steer some positive and productive changes in the region.
