Arunachal CM Pema Khandu vows to resolve Changlang border issue with Assam

Itanagar Feb 13: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday informed the State Assembly that his government would strive to amicably resolve the border issue of Changlang district with the Assam government.

Responding to a supplementary question raised by Nampong MLA Laisam Simai, Khandu stated that Changlang was not included in the Supreme Court-constituted Local Boundary Commission report, as the district administration then failed to submit the report on time.

This omission led to Changlang being excluded from the Namsai Declaration—a landmark agreement signed on July 15, 2022, by the Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, wherein both leaders agreed in principle to reduce the number of disputed villages from 123 to 86.

Khandu informed the House that he has held multiple meetings with his Assam counterpart regarding the issue, and the Assam Government has agreed to address the matter separately.

He also reiterated that due to the proactive efforts of both state governments, the decades-old boundary dispute has been resolved in five districts. The remaining six districts, apart from Changlang, are nearing a settlement.

Home and Inter-State Border Affairs Minister Mama Natung stated that the Assam Government objected to Changlang's inclusion in the dispute resolution process, citing that no villages from the district were included in the 123 disputed villages. He also acknowledged that five villages of Changlang district are located in Assam, and the Arunachal Pradesh government has formally requested Assam for an early resolution of the issue.

Speaking on the issue, MLA Laisam Simai highlighted that the Regional Committee for Changlang, formed in June 2022, has been inactive due to Assam's objections. He pointed out that Changlang, the second-most populous district in Arunachal Pradesh after Papum Pare, shares the longest border with Assam and frequently faces boundary-related skirmishes.

Thus, it is important that the state government take swift action to find a permanent solution to the boundary row. Natung further said that boundary disputes in West Kameng, East Siang, Lohit, Tirap, and Namsai were considered resolved based on the respective committee reports, while issues concerning Pakke Kessang, Papum Pare, Kamle, Lower Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, and Longding are under review.

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