Assam-Meghalaya boundary talks preponed to Saturday

The Chief Minister-level talks on the inter-state boundary between Meghalaya and Assam has been preponed to Saturday, an official said on Thursday.

This follows "a request from Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal", Meghalaya Chief Secretary K.S. Kropha told IANS. He said the meeting would be held in Guwahati.

Sonowal will meet the Meghalaya Chief Minister for the first time since he assumed office in Assam in May last year.

A senior Assam government official said Sonowal desired to pre-pone the meeting due to the 1st Namami Brahmaputra Festival 2017, which will be inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday.

The five-day festival will be celebrated in 21 districts of Assam.

Sangma last held discussions with then Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on June 5, 2010.

In the past, Meghalaya has submitted documents and maps on its claim to the 12 sectors/areas of Upper Tarabari, Gizang Reserve Forest, Hahim, Langpih, Borduar, Boklapara, Nongwah-Matamur, Khanapara-Pillangkata, Deshdemoreah, Block I and Block II, Khanduli-Psiar and Ratacherra.

"We have submitted detailed documents and maps, created after a long study, in accordance with our claim on these areas, along with legal and constitutional back-up," a Meghalaya official said.

Sonowal had earlier exuded confidence about resolving Assam's decades-old border disputes with Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram through consultations and mutual understandings.

The boundary row between Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh is pending in the Supreme Court.

--IANS

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