SHILLONG, Sep 25: The state government is yet to finalise the joint visits of the regional committees on the Assam-Meghalaya border to the disputed areas.
“The dates have not been finalised. I need to get the timing from Assam,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said.
A committee each was set up for areas of difference in Ri-Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and East Jaintia Hills districts. The date of visit for areas involving the Ri-Bhoi district would be fixed soon, he said.
Tynsong said the preliminary report submitted by the West Khasi Hills committee needs to be discussed by the joint committee of both sides.
He added that there will be a series of meetings and spot inspections after which the report will be submitted to both the chief ministers.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma had earlier said the chairmen of the three regional committees of both the states will conduct meetings, hold consultations with stakeholders, make site visits and submit the report of their findings by October 20.
He made the announcement on social media after a video conference with his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma, which was the third official discussion between the two states on the boundary dispute.
The first round of talks was held in Shillong on July 23 followed by the second round in Guwahati on August 6.
The regional committees (three on either sides) have been mandated to hold consultations with the stakeholders, get their feedback and submit reports to the respective government periodically. The committees were formed after the Assam and Meghalaya CMs had recently discussed the border issues at a follow-up meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Shillong.
