Assam-Arunachal border issue: Regional committees express inability to take a final call on four villages falling in forest area

The regional committees formed to resolve the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border issue have expressed their inability to take a final decision on their own on villages falling mainly in the forest area.

''Due to the fall of all the four villages mainly in the forest area, the committee expressed its inability to take a final decision on its own and insisted on sending a report of recommendation to the central government through the chief ministers of the two states,'' said an official statement of a meeting of regional committees which was held at Khanapara. 

In the meeting, Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika and Arunachal Pradesh Minister Mama Natung were also present.

Hazarika said that the Chief Ministers of both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh were genuinely concerned about permanently resolving the border issue.

''Both the committees discussed in detail the preparation of the final report to be submitted to the chief ministers of both states and also interacted with local people during their visit to villages, Baliso, Dipik, Passo, and Dikalmukh and their wishes and reluctance were discussed,'' the statement added. 

Earlier in September, members of the regional committees of the two states, led by the ministers, visited four villages in Biswanath of Assam and Pakke Kesang districts of Arunachal Pradesh. 

''In this case, the committee's report focuses on mentioning the desire of the local residents of Baliso, Dipik, and Dikalmukh to stay with Arunachal Pradesh and half of the residents of Passo village expressing their willingness to stay with Assam,'' said an official statement.

After the meeting, Natung and Hazarika addressed the media persons and said, ''Both Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu are keen to resolve the border issue between the two states, and for the same, several regional committees were formed in the chief minister's level meeting held in Namsai couple of months back''. 

Hazarika also said that while all the residents of the first three villages in Biswanath and Pakke Kesang districts of Arunachal, namely Dikalmukh, Dipika, and Baliso expressed their desire to stay with Arunachal Pradesh, half of the people of Passo expressed their desire to stay with Assam. 

Hazarika also pointed out that the final shape of the report was given in today's meeting on the basis of such experience during the period of the regional committee's field visit and later the report will be submitted to the Chief Ministers of the two states. 

''At a time when northeastern states, ashtalakshmi, as referred by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, are moving towards development, resolving the boundary issue between the states is a very important and necessary step,'' he added. 

Stating that we cannot live in peace by fighting with our neighbours, the Hazarika said, ''We all have to live together''. 

He also expressed hope that due to the sincere goodwill of the two Chief Ministers of the two states, the development of the border areas can be ensured by resolving the border issue between the two states at the earliest.

Arunachal Pradesh MLA Biyuram Waghe, Commissioner Secretary to the Government of Assam Shantanu P Gotmare, Deputy Commissioner of Pakke Kesang district and other officials of the Forest Department, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Biswanath district, and other officials were also present in the meeting.