Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has said the state government is keen to resume official boundary talks with Assam at the earliest, while expressing confidence that most of the issues affecting the border village of Lapangap have already been resolved.
Dhar said he recently met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and urged him to speed up the process of holding the next round of official discussions on the long-pending interstate boundary dispute.
According to Dhar, he told the Assam Chief Minister that since Assam has already begun the process of forming its regional committee, both states should convene a meeting as soon as the committee becomes fully functional. He said Sarma responded positively and assured him that an official meeting would be held in the near future.
The Deputy Chief Minister also addressed concerns raised by residents of Lapangap, a border village that has witnessed periodic tensions. He said he recently met a delegation from the village and described the present situation as a local issue rather than a major dispute.
Dhar said nearly 80 per cent of the problems affecting Lapangap have already been resolved and expressed confidence that the remaining issues would also be settled without much difficulty. “Around 80 per cent of the issues have already been resolved, and we are confident that the remaining concerns can also be sorted out soon,” he said.
He also sought to reassure residents by stating that farming activities in the border villages are continuing without disruption. According to him, people are carrying out their agricultural work normally and are able to move freely.
At the same time, Dhar said the people of Lapangap have requested more detailed discussions with the neighbouring Karbi community to strengthen mutual understanding and ensure lasting peace in the area.
To address the remaining concerns, the Deputy Chief Minister said he has scheduled a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner to examine the issues raised by the villagers and work out a clear plan for resolving them. He said the government remains committed to finding practical solutions through dialogue and cooperation with all stakeholders.