NE heats up boundary disputes

Guwahati, Jul 12 (UNI) Three North eastern states are up in arms against Assam over boundary dispute as the latter is accused of trying its geographical advantage to choke them to submission.

Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram are all against Assam over the boundary disputes.

''As per official records, about 25,642 hectares have been occupied by all the four surrounding states. Nagaland with 19,419 hectare, Arunachal 5756 hectare and Meghalaya with 65 hectares,'' Assam Revenue Minister Bhumidhar Burman said.

However, none of the three states were willing to abide by the agreement as they believe that Assamese were playing the role of a 'big brother'.

A day after the Mizoram Home Minister called for an all party meeting in the Assembly to discuss the Assam-Mizoram border dispute, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), largest student's body, yesterday urged Chief Minister Zoramthanga to talk to his Assam counterpart to bringing an end to the encroachment issues at the earliest.

It was resolved in the meeting to support the recent MZP's action in claiming the 'true Mizoram territory', sources said.

The meeting also urged Zoramthanga government to provide necessary security to the people along the border after the Assam Police arrested a few labourers working at the paddy field of first Mizoram Chief Minister Chhunga, which situated within the disputed area.

The Arunachal Pradesh government also have denied the charges of encroachment of reserve forest area levelled out by the Assam government and accused it of forcefully occupying vast stretch of its land.

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