GUWAHATI, August 5: Assam and Mizoram set the crucial bilateral dialogue on the long-pending inter-state boundary row rolling, arriving at a consensus to maintain peace along the inter-state boundary and welcoming the deployment of a neutral central force in the areas of conflict and confrontation.
A high-level meeting was held between ministerial delegations of both states in Aizawl on Thursday.
The Assam delegation comprised Cabinet ministers, Atul Bora, Ashok Singhal and commissioner and secretary (home affairs) G.D Tripathi while the Mizoram delegation comprised home minister Lalchamliana, revenue minister Lalruatkima and home secretary Vanlalngaihsaka.
According to the post-meeting joint statement, both the states agreed not to send their respective forest and police forces for patrolling, domination, enforcement or for fresh deployment to any of the areas where confrontation and conflict has taken place between the police forces of the two states
‘This would include all such areas along the Assam-Mizoram border in the districts of Karimganj, Hailakandi and Cachar in Assam and Kolasib and Mamit districts in Mizoram,” the statement said.
Both the state governments welcomed and agreed to take forward the initiatives taken by the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) and the chief ministers of the two states to remove tension prevailing along the inter-state border and to find lasting solutions to the disputes through discussions.
“Representatives of the governments of Assam and Mizoram agree to take all necessary measures to promote, preserve and maintain peace and harmony among the people living in Assam and Mizoram, particularly in the border areas,” it said.
The representatives of the Mizoram government also conveyed their condolences to the families of those who died in the July 26 clashes and wished the injured speedy recovery.
At the post-meeting media conference, Assam border protection and development minister Atul Bora said that the “fruitful” bilateral meeting, held at the Centre’s initiative, was just the beginning of a process that would pave the way for crucial chief ministerial-level meetings on the border issue in the near future.
“Officials of both states should also have frequent meetings in the border areas to ease tension,” Bora said.
Clarifying that there was no economic blockade imposed from the government’s side along NH-306, the minister said that Assam would also revoke the travel advisory it issued for the safety of people travelling to Mizoram following escalation of tension in the wake of the July 26 firing.