Center-Satellite surrenders to resolve Assam-Mizoram border dispute

(PTI) Guwahati, Dt

Tensions between the two states remain high even after a week of violent clashes between Assam and Mizoram police over the border dispute. Mizoram has been deprived of supplies for a week as vehicles carrying trucks carrying essential goods between Assam and Mizoram have come to a standstill. On the other hand, following the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Mizoram has agreed to cancel the FIR registered against Assam Chief Minister Hemant Biswa Sarma. In addition, the central government will resort to satellite imaging to resolve the border dispute between Assam and Mizoram.

Mizoram's stance softened a bit after Union Home Minister Amit Shah had a telephonic discussion with the Chief Ministers of Assam and Mizoram on Sunday morning. Mizoram has expressed readiness to withdraw the FIR registered against Assam Chief Minister Hemant Bishwa Sarma. Mizoram Chief Minister Joramthanga said the two states would now resolve the border dispute through talks. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is active on the issue. He is in talks with the chief ministers of the two states and hopes for peace between Assam and Mizoram.

Assam Chief Minister Sarma, on the other hand, also tweeted to keep the spirit of the Northeast alive. "Our main focus is on keeping the cultural spirit of the northeastern states alive," he said. Whatever happened on the Assam-Mizoram border is unacceptable to the people of both the states. In the wake of the border dispute between Assam and Mizoram, the central government has decided to resort to satellite imaging to resolve the dispute once and for all. A senior Union government official said the task of demarcating the border between the two states has been given to the North Eastern Space Application Center following instructions from Home Minister Amit Shah. The organization is a joint venture of the Department of Space and North Eastern Council.

Meanwhile, tensions between Assam and Mizoram have been simmering for a week after seven Assam police personnel were killed and more than 20 others were injured in a violent clash between them last week. As a result, the transport of any vehicle between Assam and Mizoram, including trucks carrying essential items, has come to a standstill. As a result, Mizoram has been deprived of essential commodities for over a week.

However, a peaceful situation was observed on the sixth day in the disputed Lailapur area on the border of the two states. A CRPF patrol team on National Highway 303 kept a close watch on the situation. More than a dozen trucks carrying essential items, including corona related items, are waiting to start transporting on the Kabuganj-Dholai road in Kachar district. The ban imposed by some organizations on vehicles going to Mizoram has been lifted and no group is stopping any trucks or vehicles on the road, an official said. But owners of commercial vehicles, including trucks, do not want to take any risks in crossing the border. At present, only security forces vehicles are plying on the borders of the two states.