Assam, Arunachal Pradesh sign pact aiming to solve border dispute

GUWAHATI:  A boundary line delineated in 1960 by a committee will be the basis for the realignment of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh interstate boundary as the two states attempt to solve their longstanding border disputes.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Arunachal counterpart Pema Khandu held their third meeting on the disputes at Namsai in Arunachal on Friday. Later, they jointly issued the ‘Namsai Declaration’. It reads: “This declaration is signed between the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on July 15, 2022, at Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh to minimize the border dispute between the two states in respect of 123 villages placed before the Local Commission by Arunachal Pradesh…”

After the first two meetings held between the two CMs on Jan. 24 and April 20 this year, it was decided inter alia that all border issues would be confined to those raised before the Local Commission in 2007.
“The boundary line delineated and signed on the 29 toposheets by the High-Powered Tripartite Committee as notified boundary during the year 1960 would be taken as the basis for realignment of boundary by both states,” the declaration reads.

Both states decided to constitute 12 “regional committees”, each covering 12 districts of Arunachal and the counterpart districts of Assam for joint verification of 123 villages. They will make their recommendations to the respective governments keeping in view the historical perspective, administrative convenience, contiguity and people’s will to delineate the interstate boundary.

Sarma and Khandu on Friday agreed in principle regarding 37 villages. The final decision will be made based on the recommendations of the regional committees. Twenty-eight villages, which are within the constitutional boundary of Arunachal, will remain with it. Three villages, on which claims were withdrawn by Arunachal, will remain with Assam. The locations of six villages could not be located in Assam and if they exist in Arunachal, they will continue to be with it. It was also agreed upon that the regional committees will submit their first tranche of reports on areas where consensus is arrived at before Aug. 15.