Border encroachment: Assam Govt foils Arunachal move

BEHALI, February 17: The timely intervention of the Sonitpur district administration and stiff objection by the Assam Government to its counterpart Arunachal Pradesh has led to the deferment of the proposed inauguration ceremony of Tarasoo revenue circle inside the Behali Reserve Forest in Sonitpur district which the Arunachal Pradesh government claims as their own territority. Talking to The Assam Tribune, the deputy commissioner of Sonitpur, Naba Kumar Chetia said that all preparations were completed by the Arunachal government to inaugurate the circle today by the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Mukut Mithi. Some people of Arunachal Pradesh had already constructed permanent structures in the territory of Assam, which according to the Survey of India map, falls under Behali Reserve Forest. However, on the intervention of senior officials of both the states, the function was later decided to be deferred to maintain the status quo. Chetia further said that negligence on the part of the state forest department has led to the development of the situation and added that large areas of Behali forest lands have been encroached by some Arunachalis resulting in heavy felling of trees. It was further learnt that long before the creation of Arunachal Pradesh there have been incidents of land-grabbing in the territory of Assam from across the border, and in 1967-68, the Nishi community of Arunachal Pradesh encroached the Pempela area where they set up schools, dairy farms etc, which according to the existing survey map falls under the Behali Reserve Forest. Similarly at Dikal, 25 km from Borgang, the Arunachal government had set up a school and constructed an outpost of the Arunachal Police despite a stiff opposition from the Sonitpur district administration. Both Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, Chief Minister Assam and his counterpart Mukut Mithi at a joint border meeting held at Itanagar in July 1999, resolved to solve the issue and to maintain the status quo till the issue is disposed off. Meanwhile, senior officials including the deputy commissioner of Sonitpur Naba Kumar Chetia, the superintendent of police Padma Kumar Das besides ADCs Dimbeswar Hazarika and Purabi Sonowal along with other senior officials are camping at the site to prevent any eventuality.