Assam and Arunachal Pradesh sign declaration to end border row

GUWAHATI: The Assam and Arunachal Pradesh governments on Friday signed the Namsai Declaration at a chief minister-level meeting between the two states with the determination to end the inter-state border conflict this year.
Both sides agreed in principle to restrict the number of disputed villages to 86 from 123. The declaration stated that both states would constitute 12 regional committees, each covering the 12 districts of Arunachal and the counterpart districts of Assam for the joint verification of all 123 villages.Thereafter, it said recommendations would be made to respective state governments keeping in view the historical perspective, administrative convenience, contiguity and people’s will to delineate boundaries between the two states. “All border issues between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will be confined to those raised before the Local Commission in 2007,” it read.
The boundary line delineated and signed on the 29 Toposheets by the High Powered Tripartite Committee as notified during 1980 would be taken as the basis for realignment of the boundary by both states, stated the declaration.
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh share an 804.1 km-long border.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called this a milestone in the history of friendship and brotherhood between the two NE states. His Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Pema Khandu pinned hope that the all border disputes revolving around the disputed villages will be resolved by this year-end.
“Along with Hon Arunachal Pradesh CM Shri @PemaKhanduBJP ji, we've decided to restrict the 'disputed villages' to 86 instead of 123. Based on our present boundary, we'll try to resolve the rest by 15 Sept 2022,” Sarma tweeted after the meeting at Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi-ji and Union home minister Amit Shah-ji are very keen to see that inter-state disputes between the northeastern states are resolved. Today, through the Namsai Declaration we have taken a huge step forward,” he said.
Sarma said that initially, the dispute between Assam and Arunachal was considered to be in 123 villages. But he informed that after considering the Survey of India map and field report of deputy commissioners, both the governments have reached a conclusion that now the dispute can be resolved only in 86 villages.