Meghalaya, Assam ministers to discuss border dispute - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Senior ministers from the states of Meghalaya and Assam are scheduled to meet today to iron out the vexed border dispute between the two states. Meghalaya Revenue Minister Prestone Tynsong and Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will attend the meeting of the 'Joint Special Committee on Meghalaya-Assam Boundary.' "This will be the first meeting of the special committee, and both sides are expected to first work out modalities on how to resolve the vexed border dispute," said Tynsong earlier on November 10. He added that the committee would mainly deal with Langpih, a disputed area between the two states. Of late, the tribal Khasi and Garo people, residing in Langpih, have accused the Assam government of disrupting peace and tranquility in the area by pushing Nepalese nationals. Last year, a Chief Secretary level meeting of both states had agreed in principle to maintain the status quo and that the border dispute should be solved within the ambit of the Indian Constitution. In 1985, the Assam and Meghalaya governments entrusted Justice YV Chandrachud to head a committee of experts for giving an opinion on the constitutional aspects of the boundary demarcation between the two neighboring states. Assam has claimed Langpih based on the recommendations of Justice YV Chandrachud Committee Report. Meghalaya, however, has rejected the report.