SHILLONG, Sept 12 - Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma informed the State Assembly today of writing to his Assam counterpart to resume the stalled inter-State
border talks.
Replying to a question by Phlastingwell Pangniang from opposition Hill State People�s Democratic Party, Sangma said, he has written to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on July 28 this year to resume the talks.
Apart from the letter, Sangma said, he and his Assam counterpart have met on several occasions at the sidelines of different programmes and meetings and the issue to solve the boundary dispute was discussed.
Informing the House that Meghalaya and Assam Governments were holding Chief Secretary-level talks to resolve the boundary dispute, Sangma added, these talks have not made progress in recent times and have remained stalled.
During these talks, Meghalaya has submitted several documents related to surveys, maps and other documents to substantiate its claim over the areas which are being disputed by the
two States.
The Chief Minister said, Meghalaya Government has been making concerted efforts to resolve the boundary dispute and in this regard has adopted a Resolution in the Assembly on March 11, 2011 to urge the Centre to constitute a Boundary Commission to
resolve the dispute.
However, the Assam Assembly adopted a counter-resolution against the move and thereafter the Central Government has advised both the State Governments to resolve the dispute on a bilateral level.
On being pointed out by Leader of Opposition Donkupar Roy (United Democratic Party) that while resolving Meghalaya�s boundary with Assam, Block I and II should be separated as these two areas were attached to Assam through a notification and were always part of Meghalaya.
Assuring the House that he would look into the issue, the Chief Minister said if required the issue of Block I and II would be discussed separately apart from the other areas of dispute. Meghalaya and Assam have 12 areas of dispute, apart from Block I and II.
