SHILLONG, JUN 3: Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday said Meghalaya and Assam have reached an agreement to ensure that agricultural activities along the disputed Karbi Anglong border are not disrupted, with authorities from both sides pledging to maintain a cordial atmosphere for residents.
The consensus emerged from a meeting held Tuesday attended by senior leaders and officials from both states.
“Yesterday’s meeting included all top leaders from the Karbi side, including the CEM of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and senior government officials from the Government of Assam,” Tynsong said.
The Meghalaya delegation was led by Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar. He said the agreement had the backing of both sides and local stakeholders.
“In the meeting yesterday, we fully agreed from both sides, and this was in the presence of headmen from Meghalaya as well as from Assam’s Karbi Anglong,” he added. Tynsong said the core of the pact is to protect livelihoods.
“The agreement is very clear. They want to ensure that cultivation activities are not stalled at any point from now on. That was the decision taken yesterday,” he said. He added that state and council authorities have given firm assurances.
“Both the state government authorities and the district council authorities have assured that the livelihood activities being carried out, and those to be carried out, by villagers of both states must be preserved at all costs. A cordial and healthy atmosphere has to prevail there — not just for a week or a month, but consistently from now on,” Tynsong said.
