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July 23: The Mizoram government has constituted a boundary commission to deal with demarcation of the state's border with Assam.
A government notification issued on Thursday said the boundary commission will be chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Tawnluia and will have Home Minister Lalchamliana as vice chairman.
The boundary commission's formation came at a time when Mizoram and Assam ahead of a visit by Home Minister Amit Shah to the northeast to try and sort out the various border disputes.
State home department secretary was made member secretary.
The commission which will have the state home department secretary as its member-secretary, will consider the various aspects of the Mizoram-Assam border imbroglio, the notification said.
The commission will also have one member each from leading NGOs, recognised political parties, Joint Action Committee on Inner Line Reserve Forest Demand apart from three ministers, chief secretary, additional chief secretary and Director General of Police (DGP), it said.
Prominent citizen and former Lok Sabha member C.L Ruala and former state home secretary Lalbiakzama were also appointed as members of the commission.
Meanwhile, a senior police officer said on Friday that the situation at Aitlang hnar and Buarchep areas in Kolasib district along the Mizoram-Assam border remained tense.
Mizoram Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Northern Range) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte told PTI that both the states forces are now camping on the border areas, face to face, and warned a serious confrontation could take place at any time if either side tried to make any advances.
He however said that Assam police had not made any advances since a standoff on July 10.
Khiangte said that people living along the inter-state borders on Mizoram side are now living a normal life and none of them have had to leave their villages as a result of the confrontation.
The Mizoram-Assam border issue is also likely to be discussed during a meeting of chief ministers, chief secretaries and DGPs of all Northeastern states to be presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Shillong on Saturday, according to Khiangte.
Three Mizoram's districts- Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit share a 164.6 km long inter-state border with Assam's Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts.
Tension along the inter-state border flared up in June, when Assam police allegedly seized Aitlang hnar about 5 km from nearest border village Vairengte in Mizoram accusing the neighbouring state of encroaching on its territory, according to Mizoram police officials.
Both states have accused the other of encroaching on their lands.
Standing crops and betel nut trees belonging to a Mizo farmer were allegedly destroyed during a claimed "eviction" by Assam police and officials at Buarchep near Phainuam village on July 10.
A grenade was allegedly hurled on an Assam government team visiting the border by suspected miscreants from Mizoram on July 10.
However, the allegation was denied by Mizoram claiming it was a case of an earthmover's tyre bursting.
The chief secretary-level meeting held in New Delhi on July 9 had ended inconclusively.
