In a bid to find a lasting solution to the 50 year old inter-state border dispute between the two neighbouring states, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma will hold talks in New Delhi soon.
Informing about the same on August 10, after meeting a high-level delegation from Assam led by border protection and development minister Atul Bora and accompanied by urban development minister Ashok Singhal, Zoramthanga said that he had a telephonic conversation with Biswa and they have planned to meet during the later part of August or early September in Delhi on the border dispute issue.
“Assam being like a father of almost all the states in the Northeast region takes fatherly attitude towards all the issues, I hope that we will be able to solve all the problems,” Zoramthanga said, adding that the border disputes and all the other problems in the Northeast would be solved soon.
Stating that the Assam delegation coming to Mizoram and holding talks in Aizawl is a stepping stone towards achieving the goal, he said that both states will first look into easier problems and gradually move with the complex issues.
He added that the talks held at the minister level would be followed by negotiations at the chief minister level and that they will try to solve everything.
The ministerial-level meeting between the two states also agreed in a joint statement that was issued after the talks that economic activities like cultivation and farming practised by the people along the border areas would be allowed to continue regardless of the administrative control presently exercised by either state at such locations, subject to forest regulations and after informing the deputy commissioners concerned.
“Both the sides reaffirmed the joint statement of August 5, 2021, in letter and spirit,” the joint statement said, adding, “Both the states agreed to promote and maintain peace and to prevent any untoward incident along the borders, the deputy commissioners of the bordering districts of both the states shall meet at least once in two months.”
The meeting also decided to hold the next high-level delegation parley at Guwahati in October, where issues and claims would be deliberated in detail.
The Mizoram delegation, headed by state home minister Lalchamliana comprised minister of state for information and public relations Lalruatkima, home secretary H. Lalengmawia, and additional secretary for home Lalhriatpuia, while the Assam delegation led by border protection and development minister Atul Bora comprised of Ashok Singhal, Minister, Housing & Urban Affairs and secretary for border protection and development G.D. Tripathi.
Notably, resolving border issues between Mizoram and Assam was sped up after a violent clash between the police personnel of the two states resulted in the deaths of five Assam policemen on July 26 last year.
Two rounds of talks had been held at the minister-level, while one round of parley had been held between the chief ministers of the two states in November last year.