New Delhi: Amid tensions at the border, Assam and Nagaland have decided to commence the disengagement process to resolve the deadlock along the Dessoi Valley Reserved Forest, ANI reported. The decision was taken during a meeting between the Chief Secretaries of Assam and Nagaland on Saturday (July 31).
Hailing the decision, Assam Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted, “In a major breakthrough towards de-escalating tensions at Assam-Nagaland border, the two Chief Secretaries have arrived at an understanding to immediately withdraw states' forces from border locations to their respective base camps.”
Calling it a “historic step”, Sarma added that Assam is “committed to ensuring peace at its borders”. “This is a historic step in our relations. My gratitude to HCM Sri @Neiphiu_Rio for working with Assam in restoring peace on the border. Assam is committed to ensuring peace along all its borders & strives for social & economic prosperity of NorthEast region,” the Assam CM added.
This is a historic step in our relations. My gratitude to HCM Sri @Neiphiu_Rio for working with #Assam in restoring peace on the border.
Assam is committed to ensuring peace along all its borders & strives for social & economic prosperity of #NorthEast region. 2/2@AmitShah pic.twitter.com/IyQXuuID0u
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 31, 2021
To de-escalate the situation at the border, it has been decided that the Government of Assam and the Government of Nagaland will withdraw their forces, weaponry, and structures (permanent and semi-permanent) from Jankhana Nala near Aosenden village area in Dessoi Valley Reserved Forest. “The simultaneous withdrawal of the security personnel shall begin immediately and shall be completed in the next 24 hours as far as possible. Nagaland and Assam shall monitor the area by surveillance using UAV and satellite imagery with a view to maintaining the status quo. The Superintendents of Police of the districts of Mokokchung (Nagaland) and Jorhat (Assam) shall ensure orderly withdrawal of their respective forces and shall be responsible for it in the instant case,” the minutes of the meeting shared by Sarma read.
However, Assam Forest officials will continue their patrolling in the region, sources told the news agency. It was further decided that the RCC bridge over the river of Jankhana constructed recently from Nagaland side will be dismantled in order to prevent unauthorized free movement of people in the Reserved Forest. Both the states will discourage movement of people from their side to avoid unnecessary build-up of people around the reserved forest.
The development comes as Assam is also engaged in tensions with Mizoram over border issues.
(With ANI inputs)
