Arunachal, Assam reiterate commitment to resolve border disputes

Mohanbari: The states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have once again agreed to resolve the decade-long interstate border row amicably.

The regional committees of Namsai, Lohit, and Lower Dibang Valley of Arunachal and Tinsukia district of Assam met for its second joint meeting at the Arunachal Bhawan here on Thursday following which the pledge was reiterated.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Arunachal deputy chief minister Chowna Mein said both the state governments are committed to resolve the seven decades old boundary dispute after the BJP led NDA government came into power in both the states and at the centre.

Mein, who is also chairman of the regional committee of Namsai and Lohit district, said we are proceeding in the right direction under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah.

He further said that the boundary issue between Namsai and Tinsukia and Lohit and Tinsukia is almost sorted, as there is no boundary dispute in these two districts with Assam.

Mein, however, added that whatever little differences exists on the proposed ‘as in and where is basis’ between the district administrations of both sides, it will be amicably resolved between the two legislators from both sides in consultation with the stakeholders.

He said the report of the joint meeting of the regional committees will be submitted to chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh before October 15 next.

The first joint meeting of the inter-state regional committees was held on August 22, 2022 at Namsai, after the field inspection of the inter-state border areas.

In the meeting, boundary issues between Lower Dibang Valley district and Tinsukia district were also discussed, however, the regional committees decided to make another joint field inspection of the border areas between the two districts before submitting any report.

The Assam side was led by Border Protection & Development minister Atul Bora, MLA Bolin Chetia, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia deputy commissioners and superintendent of police.

Health and Family Welfare minister Alo Libang, MLAs Gum Tayeng, Jummum Ete Deori, Karikho Kri, Mutchu Mithi, Chau Zingnu Namchoom, deputy commissioners of Namsai, Lohit and Lower Dibang Valley and Lohit and Namsai superintendents of police attended the meeting from Arunachal side.

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