Assam, Meghalaya to set up committees for inter-state border disputes

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K Sangma on Friday said the two states will set up committees to resolve the inter-state border disputes.

Two panels to be headed by cabinet ministers of each state will be set up, they said.

The committees will aim at resolving the border disputes in a phased manner in six of the 12 disputed sites initially, the chief ministers said at a joint press conference here.

Each panel will have five members, including a cabinet minister of each state besides bureaucrats, Sarma said, adding that local representatives may be part of a committee.

Members of both the panels will visit the sites, interact with civil society members and complete discussions within 30 days.

Five aspects, which are to be considered to resolve the disputes, are historical evidence, ethnicity, administrative convenience, mood and sentiments of the people concerned and contiguity of land, Sangma said.

"In principle, we will try to find a solution within the framework of these five aspects", he said.

The six disputed sites taken up in the first phase are Tarabari, Gijang, Phalia, Baklapara, Pilingkata and Khanapara.

These areas fall in Cachar, Kamrup Metro and Kamrup Rural districts in Assam and West Khasi Hills, Ri Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya.