GUWAHATI: Mizoram has no occupation on the villages, they claimed it as their territory, Assam minister for border protection and development Atul Bora informed the Assam Assembly on Wednesday.
“Mizoram has submitted its claim regarding the state boundary, including a list of 62 villages to us in February, this year. But during ground verification, it was found that these villages are not under the occupation of Mizram,” Bora said replying to a starred question from Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia on the flood of the state assembly on Wednesday.
Three districts of Mizoram — Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit — share a 164.6-km-long border with Assam.
After the border dispute in July 2021, the two states are in talks to find a solution to the vexed issue.
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In the last meeting held in Guwahati in November 2022, the two sides decided that Mizoram would furnish the list of villages, their areas, geospatial extent, ethnicity of the people and other relevant information within three months to support its claim.
These can then be examined by setting up regional committees by the two states to arrive at a solution.
Mizoram government submitted its claim about its territory, villages and ethnicity of the people within that area to Assam on February 13.
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All these villages fall under the Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts of Assam. “Mizoram has also written to the Assam government requesting a clarification on it, and is still waiting for a reply,” Mizoram home minister Lalchamliana informed the state assembly on August 23.
Mizoram government has also set up several permanent and temporary outposts along the state’s border with Assam after the violence in July 2021.
Mizoram handed over the list of villages as per the decision taken during a meeting held between the governments of both states on November 17, 2022, to resolve the border dispute amicably.
“Talks are going on between two state governments to resolve the age-old boundary dispute,” Bora said.
Bora also said two bilateral agreements have been signed with Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh for a solution to the five-decade-long boundary row.
“12 regional committees have been formed between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh for settlement of the boundary row,. Arunachal Pradesh had claimed 123 villages of them disputes with 73 villages have been settled following an agreement signed between the two governments on April 20, this year,” the minister said.
The regional committees have been working to settle disputes in 50 other villages. As per the agreement, the disputes have to be settled within six months of signing the agreement, the minister also said.
With Meghalaya, the dispute on six areas of difference has been settled following an agreement with the state government on March 29, 2022, he said.
He also said three regional committees have been working to settle the dispute in the remaining six other areas of dispute soon. The regional committees of both states have started spot visits and interaction with local residents for another round of border deals at the end of this year.