Tension is running high along the Assam-Nagaland border as several Assam organizations continued to stage a road blockade on the Mariani (Assam)-Mokokchung (Nagaland) road in Jorhat district since November 15.
Nagaland MLA and advisor Border Affairs, Mhathung Yanthan said the deputy commissioners (DCs) of Mokokchung and Jorhat were in touch to ease tension, Hindustan Times reported.
“As of now, the situation is under control,” he said.
Yanthan said there was not much the state governments could do as the border issue between the two states was pending in the Supreme Court.
He reiterated what Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently reported to have said, that once a settlement comes vis-à-vis the Naga political issue, the border matter would also be resolved.
Mokokchung DC Limawabang Jamir said although no untoward incidents were reported, the public were getting restive due to the economic blockade and authorities were apprehensive that the situation may flare up if the indefinite blockade continued.
The DC said he was in touch with his Jorhat counterpart and there will be a DC/SP level meeting on November 25 in Jorhat to discuss the issue.
“I have spoken to DC Jorhat this morning telephonically, requesting her to intervene and convince the blockade enforcers to call off the indefinite blockade. She (DC Jorhat) assured that she will discuss with the organisations,” HT quoted Jamir as saying.
Tension escalated along the border after Assam organizations accused Nagaland of setting up a police camp inside Dissoi Valley Reserved Forest and deployed armed Assam police to the area and also erected a temporary camp near the disputed area.