Assam taking steps to resolve boundary disputes with neighbours — Atul Bora

Guwahati, March 16 (PTI): Assam minister Atul Bora on Wednesday informed the assembly that the government is taking various steps for the resolution of boundary disputes with the neighbouring states.

Besides taking to legal recourse in some cases, discussions are being held between the states, he said.

In reply to a written question by Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia of the Congress, Bora, the border protection and development minister, said that talks at various levels, including with the chief ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland, have taken place in the last five years.

The construction of roads, buildings and border outposts, wherever necessary, has been taken up in the last five years, he said.

In the case of the dispute with Nagaland, Bora said that hearing in the original suit no. 2 of 1988 before the Supreme Court filed by Assam is progressing and summoning of witnesses from Assam side is almost over.

Once it is completed, witnesses from Nagaland will be examined, he said.

In the original suit no. 1 of 1989 before the apex court in the case against Arunachal Pradesh, the examination of witnesses from Assam has been completed, Bora said.

There are no cases in the Supreme Court regarding the border disputes with Mizoram and Meghalaya, the minister said.

He said that 58,945.56 hectares of forest land and 281.94 hectares of revenue land of Assam have been encroached by Nagaland.

Regarding recommendations of the regional committees formed by Assam and Meghalaya to propose a solution for six points of difference between the two states, Bora said the opinion and willingness of the border residents have been taken into consideration, along with other factors, before coming up with the reports.

In reply to another unstarred question by Congress MLA Bharat Chandra Narah, the minister said the chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh held a meeting here on January 24 this year for “harmonious resolution of the boundary dispute through negotiation outside the court”.

Replying to a query by BJP legislator Dharmeswar Konwar, Bora said no steps are being taken at the moment for out-of-court settlement of the border row with Nagaland.