GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday urged Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio to reopen the inter-state border that was shut by the neighbouring state recently. In a telephonic conversation between the two leaders, Sonowal said there is a need to jointly fight the COVID-19 pandemic and pointed out that economic activities must continue unhindered.
The Nagaland government sealed the border adjoining Sivasagar and Charaideo districts in Assam, following the detection of a COVID-19 case in Sonari. Sonowal said that due to the sealing of the inter- state border, the livelihood of workers engaged in the tea gardens in the border areas have been adversely affected, according to an official statement.
He added that the sealing of the borders has also negatively affected the labour force working in the stone quarries and the movement of construction materials. Sonowal urged Rio to take expeditious measures to reopen the border so that economic activities can be carried out without any disruption.
The Nagaland chief minister assured him to look into the request and take necessary steps to reopen the border, the statement said.