GUWAHATI:
Meghalaya Chief Minister and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and held a crucial meeting at a hotel here on Saturday evening to seal a deal on the border row between the two states in six areas of a difference, but the outcome was not made known.
There was no media briefing after the meeting as has been the practice in the past.
Sources, however, informed that the chief ministers discussed a 0.59 km stretch of the of 36 sq km-disputed border.
“Today’s meeting discussed the dispute in Khanapara bordering Ribhoi district and Malangkona bordering West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya,” a source said.
Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, Assam parliamentary affairs minister Pijush Hazarika, chief secretary Jishnu Baruah, chairmen of regional committees and other senior officials of both the state governments were present in the meeting.
This was the final round meeting of the two chief ministers on the boundary row.
Both the chief ministers are likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to finalise the deal on the five-decade-long boundary dispute between the two states.
On January 20, both the chief ministers met Shah in Delhi and apprised him of the recommendations of regional committees of the two states which suggested division of six of the 12 disputed border areas between them on a give-and-take formula of swapping land.
The chief ministers also urged the Centre to take necessary action so that the recommendations get implemented.
Meanwhile, Assam’s parliamentary affairs minister Pijush Hazarika informed the media that he along with Tynsong visited Khanapara-Patarkuchi area bordering Ri-Bhoi district on Saturday evening and interacted with the local residents.
“We will submit the report to our respective CMs, who will, in turn, submit it to the Union HM & PM. The final decision has to be taken by Parliament,” Hazarika said.