Shillong Sept 11: Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) president, K P Pangniang said that the government should speed up the formation of a consultative committee that will thoroughly examine documents on the areas of dispute with Assam.
“The consultative committee should be constituted and all stakeholders including all political parties the three Autonomous District Councils, and chiefs of various traditional institutions having territorial jurisdiction in the disputed areas, apart from social organizations, should be part of this consultative committee,” Pangniang said.
After thoroughly examine the documents, the committee should peeoare a comprehensive report as far as the 12 areas of difference with Assam.
Pangniang said that so far, no comprehensive report has been prepared on the disputed areas of Meghalaya.
The HSPDP leader also disagreed with the then Congress-led government that handed over maps and documents related to the 12 disputed areas to Assam in 2011.
“Submitting the documents to Assam cannot be accepted. This shows that Assam is the judge that can pass judgement on the matter related to the boundary dispute.â€
It was on August 9, 2011, during the tenure of the Congress-led governments in both the states, that Meghalaya submitted documents and maps to Assam on the 12 areas of difference during the chief secretary-level talks held at Dispur in Assam.
The documents and maps for around 2,700 square km disputed area were compiled by Meghalaya.
The 12 sectors comprised Block-I and Block-II, Ratacherra, Khanduli-Psiar, Khanapara-Pillingkata, Deshdemoreah, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Boklapara, Borduar, Langpih, Hahim, Gizang Reserve Forest and Upper Tarabari. About 1,500 square km of disputed area falls under Block-I and Block-II.
Pangniang said that talks to find a solution to the long pending inter-state boundary dispute had been held for the past 48 years at the level of chief ministers, ministers, chief secretaries, district administrations, but no sign of finding the solution till date.
Pangniang also said autonomous district councils should play a big role in producing documents together with the state government in proving that areas along the inter-state boundary are part of Meghalaya, historically, legally and constitutionally.
The former Rambrai-Jyrngam MLA also appealed to all residents along the inter-state boundary especially in disputed areas to assert their clear stand in one voice that they are residing in the boundary of Meghalaya not Assam.
Pangniang urged the state government to treat boundary dispute as a top priority and find a solution before Meghalaya attains 50 years of statehood in 2022.
He also recalled that the Union home minister had assured that the inter-state boundary issue in the Northeast would be settled in two years, and that the two states should settle the dispute mutually and amicably.