Meghalaya to Take Back Five Villages from Assam by August 15

The Meghalaya government has announced that an agreement with Assam will be signed before August 15, allowing five villages in the Ri-Bhoi district to officially return to Meghalaya. The move is part of ongoing efforts to settle the long-standing border dispute between the two states.

Cabinet Minister and government spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh shared the update on Friday, saying that both sides are making steady progress. “We’re getting closer to a solution,” he said.

Speaking about Langpih, one of the most sensitive disputed areas, Lyngdoh said that most of the work has already been done and only a joint visit with Assam officials is left.

He also responded to criticism that the government failed to protect people in Lapangap village from alleged harassment by Assam authorities. “It’s unfair to say we didn’t act. We sent police and a magistrate to speak with Assam officials,” Lyngdoh stated.

Tensions flared in Lapangap just two days ago, when angry villagers and local groups uprooted saplings and set fire to makeshift structures reportedly put up by officials from Assam’s Karbi Anglong. The area is still under dispute between Assam and Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills district.

This upcoming agreement builds on the landmark deal signed in March 2022, when both states resolved disputes in six of the twelve contested areas. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called that agreement a “historic day” for the Northeast.

Under the current understanding, no development work is allowed in disputed areas without mutual consent from both governments.

Talks are ongoing to resolve the remaining six disputed locations, including Langpih. Minister Lyngdoh, who leads the committee for that region, said a joint inspection with Assam officials will happen soon to take the next steps forward.

Also Read: Assam-Meghalaya Border Row: 80% Issues Resolved, Says BJP Leader