GUWAHATI: A boundary line delineated in 1960 by a committee will be the basis for the realignment of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh interstate boundary as the two states attempt to solve their longstanding boundary disputes.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Arunachal counterpart Pema Khandu held their third meeting on the disputes at Namsai in Arunachal on Friday. Later, they jointly issued the “Namsai Declaration”.
It reads: “This declaration is signed between the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on July 15, 2022 at Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh, to minimize the border dispute between the two states in respect of 123 villages placed before the Local Commission by Arunachal Pradesh…”
After the first two meetings held between the two CMs on January 24 and April 20 this year, it was decided inter alia that all border issues would be confined to those raised before the Local Commission in 2007.
“The boundary line delineated and signed on the 29 toposheets by the High-Powered Tripartite Committee as notified boundary during the year 1960 would be taken as the basis for realignment of boundary by both states,” the declaration reads.
Both states decided to constitute 12 “regional committees” each covering 12 districts of Arunachal and the counterpart districts of Assam for joint verification of 123 villages. They will make their recommendations to the respective governments keeping in view the historical perspective, administrative convenience, contiguity and people's will to delineate the interstate boundary.
Sarma and Khandu on Friday agreed in principle as regards to 37 villages. The final decision, however, will be made based on the recommendations of the regional committees.
Twenty-eight villages, which are within the constitutional boundary of Arunachal, will remain with it. Three villages, on which claims were withdrawn by Arunachal, will remain with Assam. The locations of six villages could not be located on the Assam side and hence, if they exist in Arunachal, they will continue to be with it.
It was also agreed upon that the regional committees will submit their first tranche of report on these villages and any other areas where consensus has arrived before August 15 this year.
“As and when the regional committees conclude their deliberations and agreement is arrived at between the two governments, the draft memorandum of understanding will be referred to the Central government for its approval,” the declaration said.
Assam and Meghalaya have more or less resolved their boundary disputes in six of the 12 friction points by adopting a similar approach.