GUWAHATI: Given its experience, the Meghalaya government has assured that it will try to address the concerns of border residents while moving ahead to resolve the state’s boundary disputes with Assam in the six areas of contention.
The signing of an MoU by the two states in March this year on the first six areas saw a section of border residents venting their ire on the streets and several organisations and political parties demanding its review. However, the Conrad K Sangma government held its ground by rejecting the demand.
Both states had adopted the 50:50 template to solve the problem. Half of the disputed areas went to Meghalaya and half to Assam. Meghalaya Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Wednesday said the two states were committed to resolving this long-pending problem.
“We will give priority to the consent and will of the people living in the border areas. It is not an easy task as a lot of factors are involved,” the minister said. The dispute in the remaining six areas falling under three districts on either side is considered complex. One of the areas – Langpih – witnessed several incidents of skirmishes in the past. Rymbui said the state government was preparing the groundwork for the boundary talks in the second phase.
Both states have already formed three “regional committees” each. They will conduct joint visits to the disputed sites and meet the residents to examine the status of the dispute. They will submit their reports to respective governments based on the agreed yardsticks of historical facts, ethnicity, administrative convenience and contiguity of the land.