Aizawl, July 15: Mizoram’s Home Minister Lalchamliana has asserted the need to resolve the long-standing border dispute between Assam and Mizoram at the earliest.
Lalchamliana also made a major claim, stating that at least 62 villages located within the inner line reserved forest along Assam’s border are within Mizoram’s territory.
However, Assam contends that the constitutional boundary aligns with the Survey of India’s 1933 map.
The disputed border spans three districts of Mizoram – Aizawl, Kolasib, and Mamit, and three districts of Assam – Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj; covering a total of 164.6 km stretch.
For years, Mizoram has maintained that the 509 square-mile (1,318 square kilometers) area of inner line reserved forest, protected by the 1875 Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), marks its true boundary.
During the most recent border talks held in Guwahati in November 2022, delegations from both States agreed that Mizoram would provide a comprehensive list of villages, their areas, geographic extents, ethnicities of the residents, and other pertinent information within three months to substantiate its claim.
Regional committees from both sides would then assess the details to arrive at an amicable resolution.