SHILLONG: Assam and Meghalaya are negotiating on over 2,700 sq.km of disputed area along the state border.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Kyrmen Shylla, while replying to a supplementary question by Congress MLA Kimfa Marbaniang during the question hour in the Assembly on Thursday, said the total number of areas of differences on the Assam-Meghalaya border is approximately 2,729.14 sq.km.
The minister said the disputed areas have been identified and categorised by the Joint Official Committee constituted during a meeting of chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya on May 26, 1983.
There are 12 areas of differences — Tarabari (4.69 sq.km), Gizang (13.53 sq.km), Hahim (3.51 sq.km), Langpih (298.07 sq.km), Borduar (147.83 sq.km), Boklapara (1.57 sq.km), Nongwah-Matamur (137.51 sq.km), Khanapara-Pillangkata (2.29 sq.km), Desh Doomreah (487.72 sq.km) Block I and Block II (1547.42 sq.km), Khanduli-Psiar (76.80 sq.km) and Ratacherra (11.20 sq.km).
Political map
Prior to this, the minister, in reply to questions posed by Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh, said the preparation of a political map of the state was completed in 1979-80 and a detailed map is available.
However, Shylla was in a fix when Lyngdoh asked why debates on disputed areas continue even if there is a political map.
At this point, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma came to the rescue of Shylla, a young minister, by informing that there are 12 disputed areas between Meghalaya and Assam and that discussions between the two states were on.
“There are 12 areas of dispute and the governments (of Assam and Meghalaya) are engaging in discussion and taking this discussion forward,” he said, adding that both the states are having political maps.
To a supplementary question, Sangma maintained that the process of getting the official map is complicated even as the Government of India had taken steps to set up the Chandrachud Committee for boundary demarcation between the two states.
“We have our political map and we are sticking to that while discussions on disputed areas are ongoing,” he said.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA George B Lyngdoh raised concerns over boundary pillars being shifted even in disputed and non-disputed areas and suggested that a visit should be made to such areas to which Sangma said the matter would be examined.
