Guwahati: Regional committees formed by the Assam and Arunachal Pradesh governments to resolve interstate border disputes began their joint field inspection on Monday.
One of teams, led by Assam Border Protection and Development department minister Atul Bora, visited Arunachal Pradesh’s Namsai district , adjacent to Tinsukia, during the day.
The second team from Assam, headed by Water Resource Minister Pijush Hazarika, did an inspection in Sonitpur, adjoining Arunachal’s Pakke Kessang district.
“This is the first visit of the regional committee. We will be going to Lohit district from here. We are confident of resolving all differences amiably through discussion,” Minister Bora told reporters at Namsai.
The Arunachal Pradesh delegation in Namsai was led by deputy chief minister Chowna Mein.
As many as 12 panels were formed by the two governments, following discussions between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Pema Khandu on July 15, which had also led to the signing of the ‘Namsai Declaration’.
The two states, as per the declaration, decided to restrict the number of ‘disputed villages’ to 86, instead of the previous 123, and agreed to make attempts to resolve all issues by September 15.
Bora said he was confident the regional committees would be able to submit recommendations to their respective governments by September 15, as was decided earlier.
He urged the people in the border areas to maintain peace as the talks were progressing well, especially after the signing of the Namsai Declaration.
On the disputed areas in Namsai, Bora said people have cooperated during the visit.
At Balipara in Sonitpur district, Mama Natung, environment and forest minister of Arunachal Pradesh, along with his team, discussed matters related to an interstate border dispute with the delegation led by Hazarika, said an official statement.
It was decided at the meeting that the regional committees would visit the disputed areas on September 2 and 3, and hold talks with the local residents for finding an amicable solution, the release added.
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh share an 804.1-km-long border.