DIMAPUR, AUGUST 22 (MExN): Nagaland Chief Secretary Lalthara has written to his counterpart in Assam regarding the economic blockade imposed on Nagaland by a group of protestors from Golaghat district, Assam. In a letter addressed to NK Das, Chief Secretary Assam, the Nagaland government pointed out that the economic blockade has apparently been imposed in support of the demand for allowing a group of adivasi cultivators to cultivate land owned by the Nagas. This economic blockade for the last 2 days has cut off the supply of essential commodities to Nagaland and Manipur. It is reported that more than 300 trucks carrying essential commodities to Nagaland and Manipur are stranded on NH-39 which is the lifeline for both the states, Lalthara stated.
The Nagaland government maintained that the economic blockade pertains to a dispute between the landlords and the tenants for the land of Mekirang village of Wokha district, which is located outside the disturbed area belt and is well within the Nagaland’s site of 1925 boundary.
“Since it is a local problem of deciding terms and conditions of land cultivation between the land lords and the tenants which is in no way connected with Assam Nagaland boundary dispute, resorting to such disruptive action especially on national highway is not justified”, the letter stated.
As such the Chief Secretary requested that the concerned district authorities of Golaghat may kindly be instructed to remove the blockade immediately so as to resume supply of essential commodities to Nagaland and Manipur. “It may kindly be appreciated that continuation of the economic blockade may lead to law and order problems as shortage of various essential commodities and consequent price rise is being reported from the affected areas”, the Assam Chief Secretary was told in the letter.
Nagaland should maintain status quo: Gogoi
GUWAHATI, August 22 (PTI): The boundary dispute issue with Nagaland was pending in the Supreme Court and the neighbouring state should maintain the prevailing status quo, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said. “We have certain differences with neighbouring states like Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland regarding boundary demarcation and we should wait for the Supreme Court directive on the issue,” he told reporters here.
Gogoi said these issues come to fore during elections and since assembly polls are scheduled in Nagaland and Meghalaya next year, the boundary dispute has raised its head again. “We do not want anybody’s land and the neighbouring states should maintain a similar stand and not encroach into Assam’s land,” he added.
