Shillong, March 8: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, on Monday, informed that 106 incidents of border disputes between Meghalaya and Assam were, reported from 2018 till February 26, 2021.

Sangma was replying to a short duration discussion on interstate border disputes between the two northeastern states, tabled by Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem on the second day of the ongoing budget session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

“Since the inception of the State on January 21, 1972, time and again we have been witnessing disputes and, tensions have been escalating in the villages along the inter-state border, resulting in developmental works along the inter-state border progressing at a very slow pace,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister also assured to look into the demand by the opposition members for stopping the illegal construction of the transit camp by the Assam government at Khanapara in Ri Bhoi district.

“Let me assure that we will take necessary steps to discuss this with the Assam government and to figure out how we can ensure that this kind of incidents don’t take place in the future also,” he said.

He informed that the Ri Bhoi deputy commissioner has submitted a detailed report on this issue on February 25.

The Ri Bhoi has already written to the concerned DC of Kamrup to intervene and stop the construction of the transit camp and that it be kept in abeyance.

“So steps are being taken and in this regard, we have always ensured there is a process that is followed and therefore most of the times at the OC level or at the SP level and the DC level, these are resolved. If it cannot be resolved at that level, it scale up to nodal officers and if it cannot be resolved at their level, it escalated up to the chief secretary level. Therefore, there is a process that is followed,” he said.