Bamang Felix, the Home Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, asked the deputy commissioners of 12 districts across the state that share borders with Assam to submit an on-ground assessment report on the inter-state boundary.
He clearly stated that the reports should be submitted within two months, said an official on Friday.
When was the directive issued?
Felix issued the directive on Thursday during a meeting of the High Power Ministerial Committee (HPMC) which was constituted on July 15 for further study of the interstate border status, said the officials.
Words by the officials
They asked the DCs to submit the assessment reports based on the Local Commission’s recommendations and ordered by the Supreme Court, the officials said.
Districts are given limited time to submit their reports, and it’s before the 26th of October. The districts are Pakke Kessang, Papum Pare,East Siang, Lohit, Namsai, Kamle,West Kameng, Lower Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, Longding ,Tirap and Changlang,” they added.
“We should make our intention clear to solve the interstate boundary issue so that our future generation does not face the same problem that we face today,” Felix said, exhorting the DCs to undertake the exercise with utmost sincerity.
Given task is tough, declares the home minister
The home minister, acknowledging the given task to district-level committees as a tough one, says the government has enough political will and political parties in the state and community-based organisations and students’ unions, which can help resolve the issue.
The HPMC decided to follow the instructions provided by the Local Commission arranged by the Supreme Court as the basis of the state’s border claims, considering 2007 the year of reference for the assessment of the interstate boundary demarcation.
In a statement, while encouraging the DCs present to undertake the task with utmost sincerity, Felix, the home minister of the state, also says, “We should make it our intention to resolve the inter-state boundary issue so that our future generation does not face the same issues that we face today.”
