The deputy commissioner and SP level meeting of Jorhat and Mokokchung districts held on Wednesday at Jorhat Circuit House failed to yield any results.
Tension erupted at the inter-state boundary since November 10 following the construction of a temporary structure reportedly by the Mokokchung administration of Nagaland within the Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest under Mariani range of Jorhat Forest Division.
The deployment of armed Nagaland policemen at the site had added tension.
Also read: Border row: Economic blockade by Assam groups against Nagaland temporarily lifted
Responding to the situation, Assam Police on November 11 put up a temporary camp near the spot where Nagaland policemen were camping in order to prevent any further encroachment by Nagaland.
The deputy commissioner of Mokokchung, Limawabang Jamir, played the same earlier tune regarding the impasse, stating that he had written to the higher authorities and if they assented to the dismantling of the structure, then they would surely do so.
“I have raised the concerns of the Jorhat administration with our higher authorities and I am hopeful of a positive response, ” he said.
“Both the sides agreed to have further rounds of deliberations on a regular basis so that such incidents do not occur in the future,” Jamir said.
“We have agreed that concerns would be taken up at the appropriate level as early as possible and hope that this crisis is resolved.”
“We agreed to appeal to the people of both Jorhat and Mokokchung to exercise maximum restraint, so that no enmity is created, no untoward incident takes place,” Jamir further said.
“As the DC of Mokokchung, I appeal to the people to exercise maximum restraint, ” he said.
He further said as the matter is subjudice, he would not make any more comments.
Regarding the economic blockade by several organizations in Jorhat against Nagaland, he said both sides have suffered in such a situation.
“We have asked the Jorhat deputy commissioner to ask the organizations to withdraw the blockade,” he said.
Meanwhile, as a goodwill gesture in view of the talks, the organizations have withdrawn the blockade for 36 hours starting from Wednesday.
While speaking in the same vein, Jorhat deputy commissioner Roshni A Korati said the Jorhat administration had raised objections regarding a bridge constructed over the Jankhona rivulet near the border and the temporary hut constructed inside the Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest.
Korati further said she was hopeful that the Nagaland authorities would give a positive response.
Regarding the withdrawal of the blockade, she said it was being imposed by local organisations and they would have to be requested to withdraw the economic blockade.
Mokochung SP Vishal Chauhan said the issue should be resolved at the administration level and the people of both sides should not be drawn into this.
“Claims and counter-claims are being made by both sides and that is why the Supreme Court has been approached. It should be resolved by the administrations,” Chauhan said.
“The people have been living together for ages. They do business together, go to each other’s festivals; so at a time like this, the communities on both sides should not be affected, ” he said.
