30.3.22

Assam, Meghalaya ink pact to end 50- year row

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K Sangma signed an agreement in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday, settling six of the 12 areas of differences in the 50-year-old inter-state boundary dispute.

Shah described the accord that saw Assam making concessions it had refused so far as “another milestone in the fulfilment of PM Modi’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous northeast”. He praised Assam’s “large-heartedness” for facilitating the pact.

According to the settlement formula, both states will divide the disputed area of about 36 sq km, covering the six points of differences, in almost equal parts between them.

Shah said this agreement has ended the dispute in about 70% of the inter-state border area and the areas of differences in the remaining six places will be resolved soon. “Today is a historic day for the conflict-lessnortheast India,” he said.

The pact now paves the way for Survey of India to redraw the inter-state boundary between the two states at these six points. Assam also has border disputes with Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram.

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