Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma met with his Assam counterpart, Himanta Biswa Sarma, in Guwahati today to address the escalating tensions in Lapangap, a recurring flashpoint along the disputed inter-state border.
The meeting was convened following recent unrest earlier this month, during which villagers from Meghalaya alleged that Assam authorities had obstructed them from cultivating land in the Lapangap area, located in the West Jaintia Hills district.
Following the discussions, Chief Minister Sangma termed the meeting positive, stating that immediate measures have been formulated to defuse the current situation. He added that officials from both states will initiate steps in the coming days to resolve the immediate local issues.
Echoing these sentiments, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared on social media that the talks were excellent and noted that good progress had been made. Both leaders officially agreed to expedite the ongoing boundary demarcation process to achieve a lasting solution.
Assam and Meghalaya share an 884.9-kilometer-long border with twelve historical areas of dispute. While a landmark agreement was signed in March 2022 to resolve differences in six of these areas, the second phase of talks has faced consistent delays. The latest pause was attributed to the recent state elections in Assam.
Despite the formation of the new administration in Assam, further high-level talks on the remaining six disputed areas remain paused until the new government fully settles. However, today’s bilateral engagement signals a mutual commitment to maintaining peace and preventing further administrative friction on the ground.