By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 23: Assam-Meghalaya border talks 2.0 may have perhaps taken a backseat as the much-anticipated joint meeting and inspection in Ri-Bhoi has now been rescheduled for January as Assam has expressed its inability to attend the meeting and inspection which was scheduled for this month.
The regional committee on interstate border dispute from Assam sought the postponement of the meeting due to “some unavoidable circumstances”.
“We are ready. The Deputy Chief Minister spoke to Assam government and the meeting was fixed on December 21 and 22. On December 21 was the meeting and December 23 the joint inspection. But it was postponed by Assam due to some unavoidable circumstances, we were informed by our Chairman (of the border committee),” said Nongpoh MLA and member of the regional committee on border from Ri-Bhoi, Mayralborn Syiem, when asked about the delay in holding the meeting and the joint visit to the disputed areas falling under Ri-Bhoi.
He however informed that there are no specific dates of the postponed meeting and visit, as of now. “It depends on the convenience of the committee’s chairman, and they will let us know. We will have to wait because it has to be mutually done and both the sides will have to visit together,” he added.
The spot inspection and the meeting between the representatives’ of the regional committees of both the states have been due for many months now.
Earlier, the meeting and spot inspection was scheduled to be held after the Autumn Session of the Assembly. It was however postponed. Then it was expected to happen after Puja holidays. Come December and the meeting is yet again postponed and rescheduled for January.
Out of the six places of dispute to be taken up in the second phase of border talks, four are in Ri-Bhoi — Desh Domrea, Block-II, Borduar, and Nongwah Mawtammur.