Asom forcefully capturing Arunachal's land: Apang

Itanagar, Mar 19 (UNI) Claiming that Asom was forcibly occupying 3,648.85 sq km of land in Arunachal territory, state Chief Minister Gegong Apang today urged the Centre not to take any decision on the contentious inter-state boundary dispute till the three-member commission, constituted by the Supreme Court, holds its hearing on May 10 and 11. Responding to a call attention motion raised by BJP MLA Tani Loffa, who expressed concern over Asom Land and Revenue Minister Bhumidhar Barman's claim that Arunachal was forcibly occupying 5,756 hectares of land besides repeated threat to the people and officials of the state by Asom officials in inter-border areas, the Chief Minister clarified that Asom had claimed 300 sq kms of land under Arunachal's occupation. This being the terms of reference of Asom government in response to the boundary commission constituted by the apex court, which, the Arunachal government had rejected, he emphatically said adding, the Bordoloi Commission report dated February 23,1951, was also opposed from the beginning by his government as the report was prepared arbitrarily without ground demarcation.

Earlier, replying to questions raised by MLAs Kipa Babu and R K Khrimey during question hour, the Chief Minister informed the House that the apex court had constituted the local commission on September 20 last year with Justice (Retired) S N Variava as its chairman and S N Goyal and Kamal Naidu as members to find the ground realities linked to emotive and long pending issue and furnish a report within a year.

The first hearing of the committee was conducted in Guwahati during November 27 to 29 last year and the second one would be held here on May 10 and 11 next, he said adding, officials from home and law departments, including lawyers, were prepared with documents n to to find an amicable, peaceful and lasting solution facilitating the people of North East to live in peace. When Independent MLA Jomde Kena wanted to know what steps the government has initiated to implement its Cabinet decision to stop work by National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) executing the 2000 mw Lower Subansiri Project at Gerukamukh, which fall under the disputed inter-state boundary, Mr Apang informed that Lower Subansiri and West Siang deputy commissioners were directed to stop the work keeping in view the boundary problem.

UNI