GUWAHATI, June 18 ? The high-level meeting between Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his Meghalaya counterpart, Dr FA Khonglam on the age-old boundary disputes today resolved to follow a three-tier strategy for a sustained effort to resolve the disputes besides deciding against setting up of police tickets/outposts in all ?areas of difference? on either sides of the inter-State boundary. The meeting which was held in a ?cordial atmosphere? for two hours in Assam Administrative Staff College here today, decided that there should be more frequent discussions on the boundary disputes among concerned Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police on either side to resolve the crisis and defuse occasional tension arising out of the burning issue.
As per the three-tier strategy the efforts of the DCs and SPs on either side would be followed up by meetings between concerned Commissioners. In the event of failure to resolve the issue at the Commissioners? level, the Chief Secretaries of both the sides will meet as and when required. Although it was decided not to set up any police posts on either side of the disputed boundary areas, both the State Government today agreed that there should be active liaison and close coordination between the police forces of both the States in view of the movement of insurgents across the inter-State boundary. The high-level meeting further decided to follow up the decisions taken in earlier meetings between both the State Governments so that there was no adhocism in the effort to resolve the boundary disputes while maintaining the good neighbourly relations between the two States.
Later talking to the newsmen after the meeting was over, the Chief Minister of Assam Sri Tarun Gogoi and his Meghalaya counterpart Dr FA Khonglam stated that today?s meeting was a step in the right direction to resolve the age-old boundary disputes between the two States. Both of them agreed that it would take time to find a permanent solution to the problem. The Finance Minister of Meghalaya, AH Scott Lyngdoh told the newsmen that in order to avoid adhocism in the effort to solve the boundary disputes, today?s meeting evolved the three-tier strategy to follow up decisions taken in earlier meetings between the two Governments in a sustained manner.
The Meghalaya ruling coalition is taking the issue very seriously in view of the Assembly polls in that state slated for February next. The Chief Minister of Meghalaya was assisted in today?s meeting by his deputy DD Lapang, Finance Minister Scott Lyngdoh, the Revenue Minister besides the Chief Secretary and other officials of his State. The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was assisted by the Chief Secretary Pranab Bora and other top of officials during the meeting which lasted for over two hours.