Assam-Arunachal border dispute: Status quo to be maintained at Koriapani

DIBRUGARH, March 17 ? The simmering inter-state border dispute at the Koriapani area near Margherita has cooled down after cordial meetings between senior civil officials of Tinsukia district and Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. There have been reports that some miscreants encroached into Assam territory at Koriapani recently and declared that the place was a part of Arunachal Pradesh. On Friday, the Tinsukia DC, Samir Kumar Sinha and his Changlang counterpart, Talem Tapok, aided by the Margherita civil SDO, Ratul Chandra Duarah, sat in a friendly meeting and discussed the fracas and ways to tone down the tension. This was followed by a spot verification of the Koriapani forest area by officials from both the districts. It was then resolved that a joint survey of the disputed area would shortly be carried out, by taking help from the Survey of India. It was decided that until the joint survey submits its findings, status quo ante would be maintained in the Koriapani villages, which are mostly inhabited by Nokte and Singpho tribals. The tribal leaders appreciated the moves by the two district authorities, and called for a permanent solution to the fracas. As for them, there is little difference between being in Assam or Arunachal. Ironically, the Arunachali villages off Koriapani have far better civic amenities, while the Assam villages are in a pathetic shape.