Shillong, Nov 14: Meghalaya government has extended the deadline for report submissions by its three Regional Committees until December 31, 2024. This extension, as per a notification from the Home (Political) Department on November 13, allows additional time for progress on unresolved border issues with Assam.
The extension comes amid a stall in ground inspections of Langpih, a contentious border area in Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills district.
Notably, Paul Lyngdoh, chairman of the West Khasi Hills Regional Committee, had recently questioned Assam’s boundary committee chairman for allegedly delaying the planned joint inspection, stating that Assam’s lack of cooperation has delayed the visit indefinitely.
The committees from both states had previously agreed to conduct a site visit to Langpih to engage local representatives and residents before submitting their final reports to the respective chief ministers.
The Langpih area, which encompasses over 200 villages, remains at the heart of the second phase of boundary talks between Meghalaya and Assam.
Historically, Langpih and several other areas have been disputed between the two states. In March 2022, both states signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Delhi, reportedly resolving 70% of their longstanding boundary issues covering 6 of the 12 disputed areas. However, disputes in six critical sectors, including Langpih, remain under review by the regional committees formed in September 2022.
