SHILLONG, Nov 22 � Assam is accelerating border area development to stop encroachment of land being systematically intruded upon by most of its bordering States.
�Every State is trying to capture land belonging to Assam. We are trying to stop it,� Assam�s Border Area Development Minister, Gautam Roy today said at the sidelines of a valedictory function organized by the Central Puja Committee here.
He said to stop such encroachments Assam is accelerating the development of its border areas. �We are trying to develop the border areas with necessary infrastructure like roads, schools, health care centres,� the Minister stated.
Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram are encroaching a combined area of 85,446.42 hectares of land belonging to Assam. The breakup of the encroachment is: Nagaland (66,151 hectares), Arunachal Pradesh (11,519.76 hectares), Meghalaya (5,789.66 hectares) and Mizoram (1,986 hectares.)
A Supreme Court-constituted panel is trying to find a negotiated settlement on the border dispute with Nagaland. Roy said that demarcation of Assam�s border with some of its neighbouring States, in areas of dispute, would take some time to be settled, but the process to find a solution is on.
Assam also tops the country in terms of Forest land being encroached. About 4, 85,674 hectares of forest area has been encroached, as per the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
On the dispute with Meghalaya, Roy said reports of Assam trying to push in new settlers in Langpih are completely untrue. He said both Assam and Meghalaya has pledged to maintain status quo in the disputed area and the agreement is being honoured.
