Nagaland, Assam CS Discuss Border Issues

Nagaland on Friday called for a meeting for the maintenance of neutrality by Central forces and other security forces of Assam in the disputed area belt (DAB) in order to take unilateral action.

In a chief secretary-level meeting held between Assam and Nagaland on inter-State border issues at Chumukedima on Friday, chief secretary Temjen Toy highlighted the constraints in the special operating procedure (SOP) for the deployment of Central armed police forces (CAPFs) in DAB from Nagaland's perspective and called for taking suitable corrective measures in this regard, an official statement read.

The team from Assam was led by chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna and comprised additional chief secretary Jishnu Barua, DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, special DGP Mukesh Agarwal, deputy commissioners (DCs), and SPs of Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Charaideo, along with other senior officials.

The Assam delegation asserted the need for having joint patrolling by security forces of both the States in DAB and holding border meetings on a regular basis between the concerned DCs, SPs, and the border magistrates of the two states.

The official statement also read that the SPs of bordering districts of the two states should strengthen the system of coordination and cooperation among themselves so that prompt action could be taken against criminals and anti social activities in the borders. It was also decided to encourage frequent sports and cultural exchanges between the people of the two States living in the border areas.

The team from Nagaland was led by Toy and consisted of Longkumer, Sinha, additional DGP (L&O) Renchamo P Kikon, DCs and SPs of Mon, Longleng, Mokokchung, Wokha, Dimapur, and Peren, along with other senior officials, the statement added.