State wants Union Govt to appoint boundary commission
By Our Reporter
Shillong: The State Government has expressed the need for the Union Government to intervene into the long-pending boundary dispute between Meghalaya and Assam by setting up a boundary commission to settle the issue.
Chief Secretary WMS Pariat on Thursday said that the State Government was in favour of a boundary commission set up at the behest of the Central Government to settle the issue once and for all.
“At some point of time, the Centre should take a call on settling the boundary dispute once and for all,” Pariat added.
It may be recalled that on March 16 last year, the Meghalaya Assembly had passed a resolution urging the Centre to set up an inter-state boundary commission but the same was opposed by the Assam Assembly on December 19 last.
The Chief Secretary said that as far as Meghalaya is concerned, it is keen to get back ‘ownership’ of 12 disputed areas which is being claimed by both sides.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that the next round of border talks between Assam and Meghalaya is likely to be delayed as Assam is seeking further clarification on the technical aspects related to the maps of the disputed areas handed over to Dispur last year.
“A week back Assam had written to Meghalaya seeking certain clarifications on the technical aspects of the maps related to the disputed sites in West Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi and Jaintia Hills,” Pariat informed, adding that Assam was attempting to authenticate the areas of dispute as per the maps provided by Meghalaya before arriving at a permanent solution.
Pariat also informed that the reply was under preparation and the same would be submitting to Assam soon.
It may be recalled that in August last year, a chief secretary level meeting was held to discuss the boundary problem following the Langpih firing incident on May 14, 2010 which claimed the lives of four Khasi villagers.
During the meeting, the Meghalaya government had conveyed to its counterpart that there are nearly 2,700 square kilometers in all the 12 sectors or areas of differences including Langpih. The meeting had decided that both sides would go through the details of 12 sectors or areas of differences in the Assam-Meghalaya border before arriving at a final settlement.
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.