Meghalaya and Assam ministers inspect inter-state boundary

SHILLONG: Meghalaya’s deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong, cabinet minister D Lamare and Assam cabinet minister Piyush Hazarika led members of the regional committees constituted by both the states on a visit to inspect villages on the disputed stretch of the inter-state boundary in Ri Bhoi and Kamrup districts on Saturday.
“Recently, a decision was taken by both the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya to go and physically inspect the areas of differences along the inter-state border,” Tynsong told the media, as border villages confronted them with queries.
“We were able to cover at least six to seven places, Pilangkata and Khanapara clusters,” Tynsong said, adding that another area along the inter-state boundary would be jointly inspected within this month.
Both Tynsong and Hazarika told the people living along the boundary that they were only on an inspection and they would be submitting reports to their respective chief ministers and that a decision will only be taken at the level of “highest authorities”, meaning the chief ministers of the two neighbouring states.
The duo led the cabinet-level committees of their respective states for an inspection at Mawiong, Barapathar, Pillangkata A, B, Maikhuli, Patharkuchi, Pahamkinshoh and Khanapara villages.
They also informed that the visit was decided after the meeting of both the regional committees held recently at Vivanta Taj Hotel in Guwahati, where documentations of these lands were verified.
A meeting was also held at Ratacherra, East Jaintia Hills district, between officials of both the states led by Meghalaya cabinet minister Sñiawbhalang Dhar and Assam cabinet minister Chandra Mohan Patowary to discuss the boundary dispute.