Spotlight on Langpih as Assam delays joint border visit
Shillong, Nov 14: The state government has extended the deadline for submission of report by the three regional committees, which were constituted to suggest measures to resolve the inter-state boundary dispute with Assam, till December 31 this year.
“This extension allows additional time for progress on unresolved border issues with Assam,” according to a notification issued by the Home (Political) department on November 13.
Significantly, the extension comes in the wake of the West Khasi Hills Regional Committee chairman Paul Lyngdoh’s recent admission that authorities in Assam had persistently delayed a proposed joint visit to Langpih, one of the most contentious border area between the two states.
Lyngdoh claimed that the Meghalaya side had already submitted all necessary documents to pave way for the joint visit to Langpih, but lack of cooperation from Assam delayed the crucial exercise indefinitely.
There were similar border visits to some other areas identified among the 12 areas of dispute between Meghalaya and Assam, and accordingly progress made towards resolving the long-pending disputes.
Regarding Langpih too, the regional committees from both states had agreed to conduct a joint visit to the site to engage local representatives and residents before submitting their final reports to the respective chief ministers.
Langpih, claimed as Lumpi on Assam side, encompasses over 200 villages and remains at the heart of the second phase of boundary talks between the two states.
In March 2022, both the states signed a memorandum of understanding in Delhi, reportedly resolving 70% of their longstanding boundary issues covering six of the 12 disputed areas.
However, disputes in six critical sectors, including Langpih, remain under review by the regional committees, which were formed in September 2022.
