GUWAHATI:
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu held a mammoth meeting in Guwahati on March 30 to discuss the boundary dispute between the two states.
“Held a productive meeting with Arunachal Pradesh VM Pema Khandu. We have made substantial progress on our boundary issues. Both of our governments are committed to ending outstanding legacy matters and deepening our shared value of regional harmony,” Sarma said in a tweet after the meeting.
“The chief minister-level meeting on the Assam-Arunachal border was held today at Guwahati in an ambience of camaraderie and cooperation to resolve all outstanding issues! As per the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and under the guidance of Union home minister Amit Shah. We are working towards resolving the vexed issue,” Khandu tweeted.
“Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma ji and I shared commitment is to resolve the long pending border issues between the two friendly states. We are working hard to find an amicable solution. Happy that we have both made substantial progress.
“The Regional Committees of both the states have tirelessly worked by appreciating the ground realities and recommending the way forward. Discussed all the issues threadbare which required the guidance at this forum and suggested way forward,” he further tweeted.
Assam shares a length of 804.10 km inter-state boundary with Arunachal Pradesh.
On July 15, last year, both states signed the Namsai Declaration where it was agreed to bring down the number of disputed villages from 123 to 86 and resolve the boundary row by forming 12 committees, each headed by a cabinet minister that visited disputed areas, took feedback from residents and submitted reports to their respective governments.
On October 31, 2022, Khandu held a meeting with the heads of all regional committees of both states in Itanagar and discussed the reports of the regional committees district-wise in-depth.
The meeting which was attended by several senior ministers from Assam including border protection and development minister Atul Bora is being described as the penultimate interaction between both states before a final resolution.