Union joint secretary (Northeast) to the ministry of home affairs (MHA), Satyendra Garg, said the Centre is committed to resolving the Assam-Mizoram border dispute and is hopeful to bring a permanent solution by March next year.
Garg, on his day-long visit to Mizoram, called on Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai, chief minister Zoramthanga and held meetings with state chief secretary Lanunmawia Chuaungo and civil society organisations over the border issue on Thursday.
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Speaking to reporters after the meeting with NGOs, Garg said the Centre is keen on bringing a permanent solution to the border dispute between Mizoram and Assam.
Also read: Assam-Mizoram border row: Vehicular movement resumes despite MZP intensifying blockade
He said the central government appointed joint secretary-level officers and security agencies in August to work on the border disputes with Assam and all the states, which curved out of Assam, have appointed state nodal officers, including Mizoram and Assam, for the purpose.
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“We will be working for a permanent solution. I am hopeful that the border dispute between Mizoram and Assam will be permanently resolved by March or later next year,” he said.
Garg said the civil society groups presented their views at the meeting.
“We have discussed the border issue and the civil society groups put up their views on the border dispute with Assam. We understood their views some of which were already taken up by the Centre,” he said.
According to Garg, the immediate concern of the meeting was a short-term solution, which is the resumption of traffic movement and supply of essential commodities between the two states.
He said truckers have started entering Mizoram since Thursday morning.
During his interaction with the Governor, Garg discussed the details and expected outcomes of the joint border talks held on Wednesday under his chairmanship in Silchar in Assam’s Cachar district.
In the meeting at Silchar, both the home secretaries of Assam and Mizoram were negotiating how to defuse tension in the shared border areas, according to an official release issued by state information and public relations department.
Garg apprised the Governor of the bilateral talk at state home secretary-level and said it was a success as the road blockade in the border area has been lifted and vehicles carrying essential commodities started to enter Mizoram from Wednesday night, the release said.
He also expressed optimism of bringing back normalcy to the border area by the joint efforts of the two states as soon as possible.
Governor Pillai on his part told the visiting official about the state’s point of view and where Mizoram stands on border issues.
The Governor also expressed his full faith in the state officials to come up with a meaningful solution through peaceful dialogue.
The joint secretary to home also met chief minister Zoramthanga and apprised him of the discussion at the home secretary-level meeting held on Wednesday, as a result of which the main concern of traffic movement between the two states have been restored.