Assam-Meghalaya border row: States begin groundwork with pillars along Hahim stretch
The pillars are installed along banks of Gijang & Tirchang rivers as part of efforts by both states to resolve their border disputes;
Boko, July 3: Survey teams and administrative officers of Assam and Meghalaya on Wednesday started the installation of border pillars along the inter-state boundary at the Hahim area of Boko in Kamrup district.
The pillars are being installed along the banks of the Gijang and Tirchang rivers, covering Rangthali, Umshek (Mathapota), Maspara, Malapara, Ranighar, Salpara, Thutia Bazaar and Rangsapara areas, as part of the efforts initiated by the Assam and Meghalaya governments to resolve their decades-long boundary dispute.
Teams from both the states will also survey the Gijang area adjoining Hahim shortly for the installation of border pillars, an official said.
These areas have witnessed untoward incidents arising out of the border dispute since Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate state in 1972.
After several rounds of discussions between the two states under the leadership of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma, 12 stretches along the border were identified as “areas of difference” and six of them were settled in the first phase on March 29, 2022, which included Hahim, Gijang, Tarabari, Bakalapara, Khanapara-Pilinkata and Ratachera under Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro) and Cachar districts of Assam and West Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya.
In June 2021, the two states had adopted a “give-and-take” policy to start the process of resolving the boundary dispute by constituting three regional committees each, which led to the signing of an agreement in March 29, 2022 in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, resolving the border dispute in the six sectors.
The today’s development follows a decision reached by the two chief ministers on June 2 last to erect border pillars before Independence Day this year in the areas where the border dispute has been settled.
The local residents of the area have lauded the government action and described the erection of border pillars as a historic moment.