Border dispute: Assam may provide documents to Meghalaya

Shillong: Assam said it will respond in black and white to lay claim on the 12 areas of difference along the interstate border with Meghalaya following which the chief secretary-level talks will be convened again, official sources said today.
The assurance was made by Assam chief secretary NK Das during the chief secretary(CS) -level talks held on Thursday in Guwahati.

Securing the area. Reuters

“Assam will respond shortly to the 12 areas of difference in the interstate border of Assam and Meghalaya after which another CS-level meet will be held,” Meghalaya chief secretary WMS Pariat said in Shillong.
Pariat said that any claim made by either side beyond the constitutional boundary will have to be supported by documents and should be in black and white.
The high level talks has also decided that there should be a co-ordinated approach towards reducing tension in conflict areas including Langpih besides others.
The DGPs and other senior home officials of both the states participated in the talks besides the deputy commissioners of Kamrup and West Khasi Hills district.
On the skirmishes that erupted at Langpih, Khanduli and Khanapara recently, Pariat said he cannot rule out the involvement of vested interests on both sides of the border.
Both chief secretaries have agreed on coordination at all level of governance and also at the grassroot level to reduce tension and focus on development works on both sides of the two states.
Pariat, however, said, local level mechanism would be explored and different communities will be consulted for undertaking developmental works but on consultation by local deputy commissioners.
Terming the high level meet as “good and conducive for development”, Pariat said the next CS-level meeting is expected to be held within a month or two to find out solution how to end the decades-old border dispute.