SHILLONG, June 28: Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma on Monday said discussions are on with the Assam government at the unofficial level towards solving the protracted boundary dispute between the two states.
Countering criticism of his government over the delay in the resumption of official level talks, he said he and his wife held a dinner meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his family last week where a host of issues, including the border row, were discussed.
It was learnt the Centre asked the two states to move forward and try and resolve the dispute early.
“Even Government of India has initiated a discussion to figure out if there can be a solution to the issue,” Sangma said.
Stating that discussions are a continuous process, he said there have been official communications from the Centre pertaining to the issue.
The pressure groups in Meghalaya want the state government to hold CM-level official talks as skirmishes along the inter-state border are quite frequent.
Sangma made it clear that there is no “simple solution” to the vexed problem and stressed on the need to find an amicable solution which will be acceptable to both sides.
He maintained that it will be the endeavour of the state government to resolve the row before the 75th Independence Day celebration in the country.
“The environment is conducive to taking the discussions forward and resolving the matter,” he said.
The issue will be discussed during Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Shillong next month. Sangma said the state government has asked the Assam government to stop all construction work in the areas of dispute. Earlier, the Assam government’s move to construct a transit camp at Khanapara had evoked protests in Meghalaya.
In Guwahati, the Assam CM told journalists that the states in the Northeast have failed to take unified policies on various fronts due to inter-state border disputes and some kind of rivalry in the case of maintaining the borders.
“It has acted as a stumbling block towards developing a unified policy and making a unified effort for the region’s development,” the Assam CM said.
