Hailakandi
A three-member high level team of Ministry of Home Affairs today visited the Assam-Mizoram border to make an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.
Headed by Joint Secretary, North East, Ministry of Home Affairs, Satyendra Garg, the team arrived at Kolasib-Hailakandi area on the inter-state border to review the situation there and came up with remedial measures to avoid further tensions.
Immediately on his arrival from Guwahati by an MHA chopper at noon today, Garg was closeted in a meeting with senior officials of home department of both states for almost two hours.
It was decided that both states would maintain status quo and resolve the dispute amicably.
Held in a cordial atmosphere, the meeting also decided that as the areas along the interstate border fall in innerline reserved forests, both the sides must first identify all illegal structure after which the process of dismantling will begin within April 30.
The meeting further decided that to usher in peace and normalcy, both the states would withdraw their respective security forces by evening today.
The fact finding team will submit its report to the Union Home Secretary on April 5 after which it will be discussed in a follow up meeting with the Chief Secretaries of the two states.
The Government of Assam was represented by Principal Secretary, Home, LS Changsan, Director General (Border), RM Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Hailakandi, Adil Khan, Superintendent of Police, Mohneesh Mishra and DFO, while the Mizoram side was represented by senior officials of the home department, DC and SP, Kolasib district. The team was assisted by officials of Survey of India.
The visit of the high level team is an outcome of the meeting of Chief Secretaries of Assam and Mizoram with Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Assam-Mizoram interstate border row in New Delhi on March 20.
