Itanagar, March 10 Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said on Tuesday that the survey and demarcation of the inter-state boundary with Assam, including the erection of boundary pillars, has been initiated in a phased manner as part of efforts to resolve the long-standing dispute between the two states.
Responding to a written question from BJP MLA Wanglin Lowangdong in the assembly, the chief minister said that the Pakke Kessang district has been selected as the first district for the erection of boundary pillars.
Demarcation work began on February 9 this year, and the first pillar was successfully erected on February 27, he added.
Khandu said that following the Namsai Declaration and subsequent boundary settlement process, Arunachal Pradesh has registered an overall net territorial gain along the inter-state boundary with Assam.
He said that the finalised boundary settlement between the two states covering eight districts reflects a clear net gain in terms of territory for Arunachal Pradesh.
The chief minister further said that issues relating to the Tirap sector have already been resolved under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on April 20, 2023.
He clarified that the state government has not surrendered any land or forest to Assam. He said the boundary settlement process has been carried out through structured dialogue, joint verification by regional committees of both states and mutual agreement under the Namsai Declaration and subsequent MoU.
According to Khandu, the exercise aims to resolve long-pending inter-state boundary issues through consensus, ground verification and adherence to constitutional and legal processes.
The outcome reflects a negotiated and mutually agreed settlement safeguarding the territorial interests of the state, he said.
The chief minister added that issues relating to the remaining districts of Kamle, Papum Pare, Lower Siang, Lower Dibang Valley and Longding will be addressed through the mechanism of regional committees constituted by the two states.
These committees are conducting joint field verification and ground inspections to assess claims based on historical documents, administrative control, traditional usage and prevailing ground realities, he added.
The chief minister reiterated that the state government remains committed to safeguarding Arunachal Pradesh's territorial and traditional claims through due constitutional process, consultations and lawful means.
The Namsai Declaration, signed on July 15, 2022 by the chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, marked a significant step towards resolving the decades-old boundary dispute between the two northeastern states.
The agreement sought to address disputes involving 123 villages along the inter-state boundary, which was later reduced to 86 villages following negotiations and joint verification.
Arunachal Pradesh, which became a Union territory in 1972 and attained statehood in 1987, has maintained that several forested tracts in the plains traditionally belonged to hill tribal communities and were earlier transferred to Assam without consultation.
Following statehood, a tripartite committee recommended that certain territories be transferred from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh.
Assam, however, contested the recommendation and the matter remained pending before the Supreme Court for a long period.