Arunachal min calls for joint efforts to solve border issues

Itanagar: Arunachal urban affairs minister Balo Raja on Tuesday called for collaborative efforts from all stakeholders to solve the long-pending border issue with Assam amicably.Chairing a meeting of the regional border committee of Papum Pare district to examine the present status of border dispute with neighbouring Assam at Yupia near here, Raja favoured fixing responsibilities and working in a team spirit to prepare a concrete road map for settlement of boundary problems amicably with neighbouring districts of Assam.“Any issue can be solved through clear and effective communication. We all as stakeholders will have to share information and intelligence,” he said, emphasizing transparency and open communication.The minister urged all the stakeholders to share their understanding of the circumstances with one another.Discussing the importance of maintaining cordial ties with neighbours as well as the idea of negotiation, he said the role of the local MLA, DC and others in this regard is inevitable for an early solution. The minister requested members to complete the tasks assigned within this month and submit a report, so that the problems can be discussed with the regional committee of Assam by Jan, 2025.Doimukh MLA Nabam Vivek emphasized team work to deal with boundary issues.Advocating a ground-level recheck, he stressed the importance of holding internal meetings in addition to those with Assam counterparts.“The district administration and the administrative officers of the border areas need to conduct field survey/ground survey exercises in consultation with Border People’s Forum and hold meetings with local people of the area, since the people are the primary stakeholders,” Vivek said.Disclosing that Doimukh assembly constituency shares the longest boundary with Assam, the MLA said he has already started talks with MLAs of Assam, whose constituencies share boundaries with Doimukh assembly constituency. “I am looking forward to meeting the regional committees of Lakhimpur and Biswanath districts by the end of Nov, 2024, so that the boundary problem with Assam can be settled immediately in a team spirit,” he added.Papum Pare deputy commissioner Jiken Bomjen emphasized the need to maintain status quo in the border areas and follow the MoU signed during the Namsai declaration, signed by the chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. He also advised to keep strict vigil in the border areas till an agreement is made between both the states.Inter-state border affairs deputy director Rome Mele made a presentation on the position of the boundary village of Papum Pare district and the demands of the people of Assam and Arunachal. He also highlighted the suggestions regarding the exchange of villages between both the states once the boundary issues are settled.
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