Delegations from Assam and Mizoram will meet today to try to resolve the border issues. According to officials, the border talks will take place at the Aijal Club in Aizawl at 2:30 PM. While Mizoram delegation will be led by Home Minister Lalchamliana, Assam delegation will be led by Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora, the official stated.
According to the official, Lalchamliana will be accompanied by state Information and Public Relations
Minister Lalruatkima and top officials from the state home department. He expects the Assam delegation to arrive in Aizawl around 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday and to depart for Guwahati the following day.
Bora will be accompanied by Housing and Urban Minister Ashok Singhal, as well as three officials, including state border protection and development commissioner and secretary G.D Tripathy, according to his statement. The official added that both delegations would hold a press conference following the talks. Following a violent clash in July, Mizoram and Assam delegations met in August last year to find a long- term solution to the vexing border issue.
Two rounds of virtual meetings followed the August meeting. In an early April virtual meeting, both teams agreed to elevate the talks to a high level, and Assam was tasked with framing modalities for the next talks. Mizoram and Assam share a 164.6 km long inter-state boundary, which has flared up several times in recent years.
The boundary dispute between Mizoram and Assam dates back to two colonial demarcations in 1875
and 1933. While Mizoram accepted the demarcation made under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BERF)
notified in 1875, which covers vast stretches of land now falling under Assam, the Assam government claimed that the demarcation made under the 1933 notification was its constitutional boundary.
Last July 26, a violent clash occurred near Vairengte town on the NH-306 when police forces from both
states exchanged fire. At least six Assamese police officers and a civilian were killed, and around 60 people were injured in the clash. In November last year, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma met in Delhi over the border issue in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
