Map dispute over disputed areas: State writes to Survey of India
SHILLONG: Taking note of the lingering border dispute with Assam, the State Government has asked the Survey of India to withdraw the Meghalaya map of 2009 and to ensure that all maps (including the state maps which make some reference to Meghalaya) carry a caveat or a remark in future mentioning that the inter- state boundary with Assam is yet to be verified.
An official source said that the State Government has taken this in the wake of the exclusion of Langpih and Block I and Block II areas from the 2009 political map of Meghalaya published by Survey of India.
The said map is currently in circulation.
The State government sent a letter to the Survey of India in this connection recently.
In contrast to the Survey of India map prepared under the direction of Surveyor General of India, Dehradun in 2009, the map prepared by the Joint Director, Meghalaya Survey in 1979-80 shows Langpih as part of Meghalaya.
The map published in 1979-80 indicated Langpih, along the West Khasi Hills-Kamrup boundary, as an area within Meghalaya while the Block I and Block II areas were shown as ‘disputed’ but the map published in 2009 by the Survey of India showed that Langpih is in Assam. Moreover, the 2009 map of Survey of India does not have any mention of Block I and II.
The Survey of India published the map based on the North Eastern Areas Re-Organization Act, 1971.
However, the Survey of India skipped putting a caveat before circulating the Meghalaya map of 2009.
When there are disputed areas, a caveat is incorporated in the map to the effect that that the inter-state border is yet to be determined.
Though Meghalaya Government had taken up the matter with Survey of India, the Government is yet to get any reply.
Sources said that the Survey of India local unit at Malki here had already conveyed to Meghalaya Government to take up the matter directly with the Survey of India head office at Dehradun.
The Survey of India office at Malki has brought the matter to the notice of its head office at Dehradun.
The State Government has maintained that there is no authenticity in the 2009 map published by the Survey of India, Dehradun.
As far as the border dispute with Assam is concerned, Meghalaya on August 9, 2011 had submitted the list of 12 sectors (areas of differences) consisting of 2,700 square kilometres as areas belonging to Meghalaya along with maps and documents to substantiate its claim. However, Assam had sought more clarifications on the names of villages falling under the disputed areas so that they can physically verify the areas. In response Meghalaya provided the geospatial data of the villages.
The 12 areas of differences include Upper Tarabari, Gizang Reserve Forest, Hahim, Langpih, Borduar, Boklapara, Nongwah-Matamur, Khanapara-Pillangkata, Deshdemoreah, Block I and Block II, Khanduli-Psiar and Ratacherra.
After the submission of relevant documents and maps to Assam Government to substantiate the claim of Meghalaya that all the 12 areas belong to it, the State Government had also sought the intervention of the Centre.
Though the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on March 16, 2011 passed a resolution urging the Centre to institute a boundary commission to re-demarcate the inter-state boundary, the same was not agreed upon by the neighbouring state as the Assam Assembly in December 2012 passed a resolution against constitution of boundary commission to solve the border dispute.