JORHAT, Nov 25 - The Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police-level talks between Jorhat and Mokokchung (Nagaland) districts on Wednesday here over the ongoing inter-State border stand-off at a spot inside a forest under Mariani Range of Jorhat Forest Division could not break the deadlock. he meeting termed as �Peace talks� was held at the conference hall of the Jorhat Circuit House to defuse recent flaring up of tension at the Assam-Nagaland border that had build up since November 10 following construction of a hut-like structure reportedly by Mokokchung (Nagaland) administration within the Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest under Mariani range of Jorhat Forest Division and then stationing armed Nagaland policemen.
Responding to the situation, the Assam Police too, on November 11 had put up a temporary camp near the spot where Nagaland policemen were camping in order to prevent any further encroachment by Nagaland side. After holding discussions over the matter, Mokokchung Deputy Commissioner, Limawabang Jamir, told newspersons that he had been taking up the �concerns raised by the Jorhat district administration� over the issue with higher authorities of Nagaland Government and was hopeful of a positive response in this regard.
Replying to a query by a reporter on allegations of encroachments that were being done by Nagaland side on Assam land, Jamir said that there were claims and counter-claims from both the sides and �it (charges of encroachment) was happening now and then from both the sides�.
�As the inter-State border dispute is a sub-judice matter I would not like to comment further on the topic,� Jamir observed.
The Mokokchung Deputy Commissioner, while replying to another query on imposing of economic blockade against Nagaland by several organisations of Assam for about past 10 days, said that blockades do not solve any problem but bring misery to general people of both the States. He added that as far as possible blockades or restrictions of movement of people and vehicles in national highways should be avoided.
The Jorhat Deputy Commissioner, Roshni A Korati, told reporters that the Jorhat district administration took up certain issues pertaining to the Assam-Nagaland border with the Mokokchung administration delegation.
Korati stated that the Jorhat administration side raised objections over the construction of a bridge over Jankhona rivulet and setting up of a temporary camp and housing Nagaland armed policemen in the adjacent area inside the Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest.
She said that the Mokokchung district administration delegation was told to remove the camp and the bridge earlier over phone and by way of writing letters and the same concerns was raised in today�s meeting.
Korati said that the Jorhat district administration had prevented an attempt to carry out permanent construction in the site. She said that Mokokchung administration side was informed that the temporary camp put up by Assam Police at the site will be removed once the Nagaland side dismantles the structures put up earlier this month.
On the economic blockade imposed against Nagaland by several organisations of Assam, the Jorhat Deputy Commissioner said that Jorhat administration as per request of the Mokokchung district administration will be speaking to the representatives of the organisations that were imposing the blockade and ask them to withdraw the blockade.
It may be mentioned here that from 6 am on Wednesday, as a goodwill gesture, various organisations that have been imposing an economic blockade against Nagaland at the New Sonowal BOP near Assam-Nagaland border at Mariani-Mokokchung Road since November 15 temporarily suspended the blockade for 36 hours.
The Mokokchung Superintendent of Police, Vishal Chauhan, said that both the governments of Nagaland and Assam were serious about resolving the inter-State border row.
He called for maintaining and further strengthening the age-old bond between people of both the States and pointed out about business activities between people of both sides.
