Assam-Meghalaya border talks: Second round likely in late November

Assam-Meghalaya border

Shillong: The second round of talks to resolve the Assam-Meghalaya border dispute with Assam is likely to begin by the end of this month, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said.

Assam and Meghalaya identified 12 disputed areas on the inter-state border. In the first round, the two northeastern states resolved differences in six sectors and signed an agreement in March.

“By November we should be able to hold official talks (for the remaining six regions),” Sangma told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

He said that the background work for the remaining six sectors has already started, and the various committees formed on the matter are coordinating.

“We should be able to hold the first round of meetings with all the regional committees, and hopefully we will be able to start the second round of negotiations this month,” he said.

Noting that he had recently discussed the issue with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Sangma said the two states would be able to hold talks after the North-East Olympic Games are over.

In September, the Meghalaya government had set up three regional committees to look into the matter, and asked them to submit their report on the current situation in the remaining six disputed areas within 45 days.

These areas are Langpih in West Khasi Hills district, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Deshdoomreah and Block-II in Rebhui district and Block-I and Psiar-Khanduli in West Jaintia Hills district, officials said.

A six-member regional committee for Rebhui district is chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, a committee for West Khasi Hills is led by Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, and a committee for West Jaintia Hills is headed by Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar.
Meanwhile, the cabinet in its meeting on Wednesday approved the repeal of the Gaming Act 2021 which was meant to promote onsite gaming parlors and casinos in the state.