SHILLONG, Nov 20 ? Chief Minister DD Lapang has apprised Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh of the long-hanging inter-state boundary dispute with Assam. The Chief Minister, who was recently in New Delhi met the Prime Minister to hold a threadbare discussion on the issue.
?I told the Prime Minister that Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi too was keen on arriving at a lasting solution in this regard,? Lapang said, adding the grassroots administrative organisations of both the neighbouring states were engaged in discussions to thrash out a solution acceptable to all.
The Ri-Bhoi and Jaintia Hills district administrations of Meghalaya are engaged respectively with the Kamrup and Karbi Anglong district authorities of Assam in this regard, he informed at a press briefing in his office chamber here on Friday. ?People at the grassroots level would know better how to arrive at a solution to the vexed problem,? Lapang said.
Lapang also appreciated the initiatives taken by Union Tribal Affairs and DoNER Minister PR Kyndiah in this regard. Kyndiah had convened a high-level meeting on Monday which reconstituted the fact-finding committee to study the Assam-Meghalaya border imbroglio pertaining to the controversial Block-I areas in Karbi Anglong district of Assam. The committee would complete its task within two months and has been asked to submit report by January 31 next.
Meanwhile, Lapang has also urged the Centre to take up the issue of North East-based militant camps in Bangladesh with the government of that country. ?During my recent visit to New Delhi, I met Union External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and requested him to take up the matter at diplomatic level with the Government of Bangladesh,? Lapang said. ?Meghalaya-based militants have set up camps in Bangladesh, which is a matter of concern to us and the Centre should take this matter very seriously,? Lapang emphasised.
Lapang also urged Singh to initiate steps for re-opening of border ?haats? (markets) along the international border that Meghalaya shares with Bangladesh. These traditional ?haats?, which had for ages catered to the economic needs of the hill tribes and traders in the plains of Sylhet, were completely closed after the partition of the country.