Guwahati: Nearly a year after Assam and Meghalaya settled the first phase of border disputes, Assam has now taken a big step towards settling the border disputes, with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu in New Delhi on Thursday in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In 2022, the two states signed the Namsai Declaration on July 15, 2022, seen by many as a crucial first step towards solving the border dispute.
But beyond the MoU, what does this mean for the people living in the border region? Where does their future lie and most importantly, has any region ‘changed’ hands?
The boundary line delineated and signed on the 29 Toposheets by the High Powered Tripartite Committee in 1980 would be taken as the notified boundary as the basis for the realignment of boundary by both States.
EastMojo looked into the MoU in detail to find out:
- Both states will constitute 12 Regional Committees covering the 12 districts of Arunachal Pradesh and the eight counterpart districts of Assam for joint verification of 123 villages and make recommendations to the respective State Governments for the delineation of the interstate boundary.
As per the 2022 Namsai declaration, the two states agreed in principle with regard to 37 villages from 123 villages, with 28 villages remaining with Arunachal Pradesh and 3 villages remaining with Assam.
- Six villages could not be located on the Assam side, and if these villages exist on the Arunachal Pradesh side, they will remain with Arunachal Pradesh.
The adjustment would now be confined to the remaining 86 (of the 123) villages for delineation of the interstate boundary between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Regional Committees appointed by both states carried out field visits, inspections, and coordination meetings on several occasions. They submitted their findings and recommendations through Joint Reports.
The MoU specifies the agreed position on the villages/areas in question, including West Kameng, Udalguri, Sonitpur, Bhalukpong, Pakke Kessang, Biswanath, Papum Pare, Kamle, and Lakhimpur. It outlines the agreed boundary lines and areas to be included in Arunachal Pradesh from Sonai Rupai Wild Life Sanctuary and erstwhile Behali Reserved Forest, as well as the exchange of land between the two states.
- The MoU also talks about unresolved boundaries in certain areas, like the trijunction of Pakke Kessang, Papum Pare, and Biswanath District involving the Radasso River, as well as villages situated in Biswanath and Lakhimpur area of Assam under the Papum Pare-Biswanath/Lakhimpur Regional Committees. It emphasizes the need for continuous dialogue and finalization of these boundaries within a period of 6 months by the Regional Committees.
IAF bombing area: The MoU references survey reports and maps submitted by the Indian Air Force regarding villages situated inside or outside the bombing area in Dullong RF of Assam. It states that villages outside the bombing area will be included in Arunachal Pradesh, and unresolved boundaries will be finalized through a continuous dialogue process by Regional Committees within a period of 6 months.
- Villages partially situated inside IAF bombing area: Arunachal Pradesh will take up the matter with the Government of India and the Indian Air Force regarding the villages of Midpu, Kherbari, and Rajali that are partially situated inside the IAF bombing area.
Unhindered right for Indian Air Force: Indian Air Force will have the unhindered right to use the entire bombing range.
- Boundary realignment: The boundary between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam will be realigned based on the map prepared, exchanged, and mutually agreed upon between the Regional Committees for villages such as Deka, Potte, Telam, Telam Camp, New Telam, Kangku, Uli, Upper Borajan, Aditako, Mingmang, Ruti, and Lower Borajan.
Inclusion of Balisori in Assam: Balisori, along with other areas situated along the interstate boundary inside Arunachal Pradesh but occupied by the people of Assam, will be included in Assam on an “as is where is” basis, as per the map prepared, exchanged, and mutually agreed between the Regional Committees.
- The boundary of Gogar, Jipu, Pale-8, Lika, and Bali: The boundary of these villages, which were settled under the Namsai Declaration, will be decided on an “as is where is” basis as per the map prepared, exchanged, and mutually agreed between the Regional Committees.
The boundary with respect to Kamcham and Nilok: The Political Road/Forest Road will be the boundary line, including the church area south of the road and agricultural land near Haw River in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Inclusion of Namey village in Arunachal Pradesh: Namey village, along with agricultural land, will be included in Arunachal Pradesh as per the map prepared, exchanged, and mutually agreed upon between the Regional Committees.
Realignment of villages: Villages such as New Mingmang, Hime, Germe, Rate, and Siloni Adi will be suitably realigned, segregating the habitations of Torajan Adi villages in Arunachal Pradesh with additional land included in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Clustering of villages: Villages such as Durpai, Champak Chojo, and Sogum situated more than 3 km away from the HPTC boundary inside Assam will be clustered in a loop with New Mingmang village, and the area encompassed within the loop will be compensated by exchange of uninhabited equal area from Arunachal Pradesh.
Inclusion of 9 villages in Arunachal Pradesh: Villages namely Malini, Lipu, Liru, Pale, Dipa, Silli, Silli Ete, Silli Liche, and Kuntor will be included in Arunachal Pradesh up to the habitation and cultivation footprint of the villages as on 24.01.2022, with the boundaries to be finalized within 6 months.
- Inclusion of Lumpo and New Seren H.Q. villages in Arunachal Pradesh: Lumpo and New Seren H.Q. villages will be included in Arunachal Pradesh by making suitable loops to ensure that the BOPs set up by Assam, namely Majulipur and Simenchapori, remain with Assam on an “as is where is” basis, with the boundaries to be finalized within 6 months.
Realignment of a portion of the HPTC boundary between Lohit and Tinsukia along the Balijan River and PMGSY road, with an area of 66.079 Hectare (0.6607 sq. km) approximately to be with Arunachal Pradesh from Assam and an area of 170.12 Hectare (1.7012 sq. km) approximately to be with Assam from Arunachal Pradesh.
- Change in a portion of the HPTC boundary between Namsai and Tinsukia to include Mojbari and Thapabari village area of 2.320 sq. km approximately in Assam from Arunachal Pradesh, with the rest of the HPTC delineated Constitutional Boundary to be followed.
Inclusion of Wet Rice Cultivation (WRC) land in Sirakhowa cultivated by the people of Depi village, Arunachal Pradesh, as it is adjacent and contiguous to the village area, and inclusion of Mer village in Arunachal Pradesh with a broad contour of the boundary between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh along the boundaries of Mer and Siboguri villages.
- Namsang Tea Estate will remain with Assam, while a part of Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary will go to Arunachal Pradesh.
Assam will get land in Diring in return for giving a portion of the Seijosa and Behali forests to Arunachal Pradesh.
- Inclusion of Keba and Banggo villages in Assam and inclusion of Kaling-1 and Kaling-Il villages partly in Arunachal Pradesh based on the map prepared, exchanged, and mutually agreed upon between the Regional Committees.
Inclusion of three villages, namely Tanglam Russa, Kamkuh Russa, and Hasse Russa within Arunachal Pradesh up to the habitation and cultivation footprint of the villages as of 24.01.2022 in the Longding-Charaideo area, with the finalisation of boundaries within a period of 6 (six) months, and demarcation of Longkhojan and Ranglua villages, agreed under Namsai Declaration, including the cultivation footprint of these two villages inside Assam as on 24.01.2022 within a period of 6 (six) months.
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- Joint assessment of the extent of areas in respect of 11 villages situated beyond 3 km from the HPTC line inside Assam and the extent of areas being the temporal expansion of Arunachali villages between 2007 and 2022 inside Assam by ASSAC.
Inclusion of Paglam village in Arunachal Pradesh and adjustment of the area situated beyond 3 km inside Assam from the interstate boundary with the area of Kaling-l and Kaling-ll villages and area occupied by people of Assam inside Arunachal Pradesh.
- Inclusion of Rukmo village, situated in Kundil Kolia RF of Tinsukia district, Assam, within Arunachal Pradesh up to the habitation and cultivation footprint of the village as of 24.01.2022, and finalization of the same within a period of 6 (six) months, ensuring that no area covered by forest will be transferred.
Follow the HPTC boundary and the delineated Constitutional Boundary in the absence of claimed villages in Changlang-Tinsukia, Tirap-Dibrugarh, Longding-Dibrugarh, and Longding-Charaideo areas.
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