New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga will meet today in the national capital to hold discussion over the border dispute between the two northeastern states, reported news agency PTI. As per the official from Chief Minister’s Office accompanying Zoramthanga, had told the news agency that the meeting would take place in the national capital although the venue was not decided.
"The two chief ministers conversed over the phone on Friday and decided to hold a meeting on the border issue on September 19 in New Delhi," the official told PTI.
The two chief ministers had held a meeting over the issue in November last year here in the presence of Union Minister Amit Shah.
In a telephone conversation held on August 10 this year, the heads of both the states had decided to hold talks in the later part of August or early September.
What Is Assam Mizoram Border Dispute
Three districts of Mizoram -- Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit -- share a 164.6-km-long border with three districts of Assam: Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj.
The long-standing border dispute between the two neighbouring states stems from two colonial demarcations of 1875 and 1933.
Mizoram holds that a 509 square mile stretch of inner line reserved forest notified in 1875 under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) 1873, a certain section of which now falls in Assam, is the actual boundary of the state.
Assam, on the other hand, claims that the boundary as per survey of India's map in 1933 is the constitutional boundary of the state.
Certain areas, which are now in Mizoram, fall under the 1933 demarcation.
Assam Mizoram Border Dispute: Meetings Held So Far
The border dispute took a dark turn on July 26 last year when police forces from both the sides enageed in a gunfight, leading to death of seven people, including six policemen from Assam and injuries to around 60 people.
A ministerial level meeting of delegations from both the states followed the clashes on August 5 last year where it was decided to maintain peace along the inter-state boundary and resolve the dispute through dialogue.
So far, the delegations have held two rounds of talks in Aizawl and three virtual meetings.
In the last meeting held on August 9, both the delegations agreed to maintain peace and take necessary measures to prevent any untoward incident along the border.
They had also decided to meet again in Guwahati next month.
Last week, Mizoram State Boundary Committee had unanimously approved an "Approach Paper" to be tabled in the next round of talks as the government's standpoint on the boundary.