Assam & Meghalaya have arrived at mutual understanding over 6 disputed areas: Himanta Biswa Sarma

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Thursday announced that the Assam government has arrived at a mutual understanding with Meghalaya over six disputed areas between the two neighbouring states. The six areas of the border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya were taken up during the first phase of border settlement between the two northeastern states.

"We have reached a mutual understanding between the two governments today. But it has to be ratified at the larger level. People are involved in this matter, state interest is involved. The government alone cannot decide," Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Guwahati.

Meghalaya's Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong said that the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya have sought more detailed reports, following which one more meeting between the two CMs will take place.

He further announced that a meeting with Home Minister likely before January 21.

"They will be meeting even the Union Home Minister hopefully before January 21. Maybe the final agreement will be made public to both the states of Assam and Meghalaya after they come back," he was quoted as saying by a news agency.

Chief ministers of the two states last met on December 23 and decided to resolve a longstanding boundary dispute between Assam and Meghalaya at six of the 12 areas.

Four rounds of talks have taken place between the chief ministers of the two states.

Meghalaya carved out of Assam in 1972. The state had challenged the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, which resulted in boundary disputes between Meghalaya and Assam at 12 areas in different parts of the 884.9 km long border that the two states share.

In the first phase of the resolution of boundary disputes between Assam and Meghalaya, six relatively simpler disputes were taken up for discussion. The remaining six will be taken up during the next phase of the talks.

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