SHILLONG, April 23 � Differences with Bangladesh in the Meghalaya sector over �areas under adverse possession� continues and talks to resume the joint border survey is nowhere near any settlement.
It has been close to a month that the two sides agreed to talk and frame modalities and begin the stalled joint survey of the remaining areas under adverse possession. However, the talks have failed so far.
�There is no progress to start the joint border survey in the Meghalaya sector,� a survey official said. The joint border survey started last year after a mutually agreed understanding between the two countries.
Survey work of Lobacheera, a tea growing area, held in adverse possession of Bangladesh was completed, although details are yet to be exchanged between the two nations.
But, the survey work was stopped thereafter on December 23 amidst claims and counter-claims by Indian and Bangladeshi surveyors that border guards were interfering in the survey works.
After a hiatus of over three months, Bangladesh�s Directorate of Land Record and Survey initiated the talks to resume the stalled joint survey on April 5 this year. But, so far the talks have been fruitless.
The reason for the talks not moving forward is because neither the Indian side nor the Bangladeshis are willing to budge an inch on their respective stands. Bangladesh, the official said, is claiming areas which are not disputed at all and falls totally inside India.
The major point of difference is in nine areas which is �adversely held by India� and claimed by Bangladesh. The nine areas include, Pyrdiwah, Lyngkhat, Amki-Amjalong, Ranghong, Naljiri, Tamabil, Kurinala and Muktapur mostly in East Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya and Sylhet district in Bangladesh.
India and Bangladesh have so far surveyed 80 per cent of the International border. A large tract of this area has been fenced. Survey and subsequent sealing of the rest of the border would help India tackle cross border insurgency, smuggling and other illegal activities more efficiently.
