Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma met his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma in Dispur on Friday to discuss recent incidents of tensions along the Meghalaya-Assam interstate boundary.
“Met with the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma ji, to discuss the concerns faced by residents of Lapangap and the tensions between the neighbouring villages,” Sangma wrote on his social media.
“We had a constructive discussion on measures to ease tensions and maintain peace and law and order. Urge the residents on both Meghalaya and Assam side to maintain peace and work constructively as we find a permanent solution to the border issue,” he added.
The villagers of Lapangap in West Jaintia Hills have allegedly been facing obstructions from groups from the Karbi Anglong side along the disputed interstate boundary area during cultivation and harvesting.
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Sangma said he was in constant touch with Assam CM Sarma and was also coordinating with the Karbi Anglong administration, MLAs and district authorities, in a concerted effort by both the neighbouring state governments to defuse the situation in Lapangap.
Agitated Lapangap residents recently marched to the Meghalaya Secretariat in Shillong to protest the restrictions on farming activities in the area. The villagers demanded the relocation of an Assam Police camp from Lum Pynthor and the deployment of permanent Meghalaya security personnel for their overall safety, especially during cultivation.
The meeting between the two chief ministers underscores the ongoing efforts to address border disputes that have simmered for years. Both leaders emphasized the need for dialogue and cooperation to prevent further escalation. The Lapangap issue is part of a broader set of unresolved boundary disagreements between the two states, which have seen periodic flare-ups despite several rounds of talks.
Local authorities on both sides have been instructed to maintain calm and facilitate the resumption of normal agricultural activities. The Meghalaya government has also assured the villagers that their concerns will be taken up at the highest levels to ensure a lasting resolution.
