Assam yet to respond to Meghalaya calls for solving boundary dispute

Shillong, May 26 (UNI) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is yet to respond to his Meghalaya counterpart Dr Donkupar Roy's invitation to discuss the vexed boundary dispute between two neighbouring states.

''The Assam government has not responded to our letter to fix a suitable date to discuss the border dispute. Our government is eager to sort the issue at the earliest,'' Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home, HS Lyngdoh told UNI here.

Meghalaya has 12 issues of difference with Assam.

Accusing the Assam government of encroaching on land belonging to Meghalaya, along the inter-state border areas, Mr Lyngdoh alleged that Dispur and the people living there were snatching land, assaulting and intimidating people in Meghalaya.

''We have raised our voice against this before the Assam government, but people living within our territory continue to face harassment by Assam government,'' the Deputy Chief Minister said.

However, Mr Lyngdoh said that the government would make concerted efforts to settle the boundary dispute with the Assam government for the benefit of the tribal Khasi people residing in the inter-state boundary areas.

Earlier, the Opposition Congress has urged the Meghalaya government to seek Central intervention in sorting out the boundary dispute with Assam.

Urging the government to initiate development in villages bordering Assam, Congress MLA FS Cajee said the Assam government was ''silently invading'' Meghalaya with Dispur providing development activities to villages bordering its state.

''The government must act now before the situation goes out of hand,'' he emphasised.

UNI RRK LL KK CS1950