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Discussion on disputed enclave on Sept 24

By Correspondent

AGARTALA, Sept 21 - Aiming to find an amicable solution to Muhurichar, a disputed enclave in South Tripura�s Belonia subdivision, a high-level meeting is scheduled to be held at Shillong on September 24.

Officials from Delhi and Dhaka would attend the meeting to find a way on how to solve the Muhurichar issue. Principal Secretary Puneet Agarwal would represent the State in the meeting.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)�s officials of both countries had a meeting on the contentious issue in Dhaka last month but could not reache any logical conclusion as the State�s representative strongly opposed the proposed demarcation.

The State had offered 36 acres of land including a plot for a crematorium to Bangladesh as per the agreement, but the latter wanted more land which would affect Belonia�s administrative hub � SDM office, SDPO office and an important part of Belonia town, according to sources.

�We are not going to hand over Muhurichar�s prime land where SDM, SDPO and a part of Belonia town stand due to security reason. That�s why the land deal has not been possible with Bangladesh�, said an official of Revenue department here on Monday.

State Revenue Minister Badal Chowdhury had already made it clear, �We want the border line should be on the middle of the river Muhuri from crematorium ground to Ballermukh but Bangladesh Government is adamant to get more land from the prime area of Muhurichar which is not possible.�

Entire Muhurichar had remained unused for a long time due to continuous opposition from the Bangladesh Border Guards (BGB). Whenever Indian farmers go to the �disputed land� they face strong resistance from the Bangladeshi side.

According to sources, Muhurichar deal is not possible unless there is a consensus between the two sides and there is a hope that the Shillong meeting may bring an amicable solution to the vexed problem.

As per the historic land deal, 51 enclaves are supposed to be exchanged between Delhi and Dhaka but Muhurichar remains a disputed area for both sides.

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