
Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh and Assam will form 12 district level committees to resolve old border disputes between the two states within the stipulated time.
The decision to form the committees was taken during the second meeting of the Chief Minister on the issue held here on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pima Khandu, his Assam counterpart Hemanta Biswa Sarma, and the chief secretaries and senior officials of the two states.
Both Khandu and Sarma later shared the information on Twitter.
“A very fruitful meeting was held at the Chief Minister’s level with the Chief Minister of Assam @himantabiswaji and his team to resolve the long pending inter-state border issue. We decided to form mutual district level committees. And agreed to the terms of reference, “Khandu said.
The Chief Minister also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their support and guidance and for their “positive leadership” in resolving the issue.
Positive enthusiasm for a solution from both sides is very encouraging. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and His Excellency Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their guidance and their active and positive leadership from Assam. I am grateful to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Mr. Humantabiswa for this, ”said Khandu.
Sarma said the district committees would conduct joint surveys in the disputed areas to find a concrete solution to the long pending issue on the basis of historical context, ethnicity, harmony, will of the people and administrative convenience of both the states.
Assam Border Affairs Minister Atal Bora, who was also a part of the meeting, said that the resolution of inter-state border issues would lead to all-round development of the border areas and the welfare of the people living in those areas.
Bora also thanked Chief Minister Khandu for showing interest in resolving the decades-old issue.
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have an 804 km long border and a dispute over 1,200 points.
Sarma had earlier this year said that Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have decided to conduct a ground survey on the status of inter-state boundaries as a step towards resolving the border dispute.
The Arunachal government last year formed a high-powered ministerial committee comprising representatives of several political parties, community-based organizations and student organizations to study and resolve the issue.