Positive developments took place to solve boundary dispute with neighbours: Nagaland CM

Kohima, March 21 (PTI) There have been some positive developments regarding solving Nagaland's border dispute with Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur while in case of Assam, it has been decided to settle the problem outside the court, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said on Monday.

The border dispute between Nagaland and Assam started when the former was created in 1963 and the matter is now pending in the Supreme Court.

The Nagaland government has been taking up the border issue with the Union Home Ministry and also both Assam and Manipur. We are coming to a good understanding, Rio said in the Assembly.

Speaking on the vote of thanks on the governor's address, the CM appreciated the concern of the members on the border dispute.

Things have been taken positively and the government is dealing with the sister states, he said.

As Assam is showing its magnanimity (in oil and natural gas exploration in the disputed area) and though the border dispute case is in the Supreme Court, we had communicated and during our discussion, we decided that we must settle the issue outside the court with mutual understanding, Rio said.

Indigenous people on both sides may sit together to resolve the dispute without any third party involvement, he said.

The Nagaland State Act of 1962 had defined its borders according to the 1925 notification when Naga Hills and Tuensang Area were integrated into a new administrative unit and made an autonomous area.

Nagaland, however, did not accept the boundary delineation and demanded that the new state should comprise the Naga Hills and all Naga-dominated areas in North Cachar and Nagaon districts, which were part of Naga territory, created by the British according to an 1866 notification.

Because of the dispute, border clashes flared up several times.

The chief minister said that it is a matter of concern that a 72-hour bandh was imposed on Manipur-bound vehicles by the Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) in parts of Kohima district.

He appealed to the leaders of both the states to come together and resolve the matter.

SAPO has imposed a bandh on the movement of vehicles carrying goods and passengers to and fro Manipur from 1 AM on Monday to midnight on Wednesday protesting against the non-withdrawal of the Manipur government's armed personnel at Kezoltsa and an issue over the border dispute.

Rio also informed the House that Nagaland and Assam have also discussed oil and natural gas exploration along the Disputed Area Belt (DAB).

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has replied positively to his letter on February 7, said Rio.

He said the CMs of Assam and Nagaland have deliberated on petroleum exploration and sharing of royalty with Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Harjeet Singh Puri in October last year.

On the Naga political issue, Rio said the legislators and political parties have made efforts to have consultations with tribal bodies, civil society organisations, NGOs and other stakeholders for an early solution to the problem.

The chief minister said the government is trying to complete the small hydro-power projects and take up new projects so that the state can not only be self-sufficient but also becomes able to sell surplus power to other states.