By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Assam and Meghalaya are unlikely to find any tangible solution to the vexed border dispute before the State Assembly elections due in early part of next year.
An official source said on Wednesday that the status of the border talks pertaining Langpih and other areas is that Meghalaya is waiting for a response from Assam regarding the inspection of disputed areas by the Assam officials after Meghalaya submitted details for verification.
Assam is yet to communicate to Meghalaya Government when its officials will undertake an on-the-spot verification of the disputed villages as per the list provided by Meghalaya.
Meghalaya recently provided geospatial (real time) data of the disputed villages to Assam so that it could pin point the areas of differences as there are variations in the names of the villages in Assam and Meghalaya.
In addition to this, the State Government had in the past submitted necessary maps and documents related to the twelve areas of differences namely Upper Tarabari, Gizang Reserve Forest, Hahim, Langpih, Borduar, Boklapara,Nongwah-Matamur, Khanapara-Pillangkata, Deshdemoreah, Block I and Block II, Khanduli-Psiar and Ratacherra. The Meghalaya government is waiting for the verification of geospatial data of the villages falling under the 12 areas of differences. The official source added that the state government is ready to conduct a joint verification of the areas so that the doubts are cleared once and for all. There were not many chief secretary or chief ministerial level talks held to find a lasting solution to the border dispute. The recent talks were held at the home secretary level between Assam and Meghalaya in Shillong on October 31, but this was limited to maintaining law and order besides implementing welfare schemes.