Meeting on Assam-Nagaland border issues held in Dimapur

The team from Assam led by Kumar Sanjay Krishna, Chief Secretary, Assam, consisted of Jishnu Barua, Addl. Chief Secretary, Home, Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, Director General of Police, Mukesh Agarwal, SDGP (Border), other senior officials and the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Charaideo.

The team from Nagaland was led by Temjen Toy, Chief Secretary Nagaland and consisted of T. John Longkumer, Director General of Police, Abhijit Sinha, Principal Secretary, Home, Renchamo P. Kikon, ADG (L&O), other senior officials of the State along with the Deputy  Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of Mon, Longleng, Mokokchung, Wokha, Dimapur and  Peren.

In the meeting, several important issues pertaining to the inter-state border areas, the disputed area belt (DAB), and the provisions of the Special Operating Procedure (SOP) for deployment of CAPFs in DAB along the Assam- Nagaland border were discussed.

The Chief Secretary Nagaland and the DGP Nagaland stressed upon the need for maintenance of neutrality by the central forces and other security forces of Assam in the disputed area belt and also for not taking any unilateral action which may create misunderstanding.

The matter regarding the constraints existing in the present SOP from the viewpoint of Nagaland was also brought up and it was impressed for taking suitable corrective measures in this regard.

The Chief Secretary, Assam, the Addl. Chief Secretary, Home, the DGP, Assam and other officials brought up the need for having joint patrolling by the security forces of both the states in the disputed area belt and for holding border meetings on a regular basis between the concerned DCs, SPs, and the border magistrates of the two States so that any issue or situation developing anywhere could be sorted out amicably.

It was also agreed by everyone that there should be regular communication among the senior officials of both the State looking into the border matters.

In the meeting it was felt that SPs of the bordering districts of the two States should further strengthen the system of coordination and cooperation among themselves so that prompt action gets taken against criminal and anti social activities in the border areas.

It was also decided to encourage frequent sports and cultural exchanges between the people of the two States living in the border areas.

According to a release by Principal Secretary to Government of Nagaland, Home Department, Abhijit Sinha, the meeting concluded with the Chief Secretary, Nagaland expressing his appreciation to Chief Secretary Assam for taking initiative for getting this meeting held after six long years and suggested for having such meetings at regular intervals in the coming years.