YUPIA, 15 Jan: The Papum Pare district administration and the Papum Pare District Border People’s Forum (PPDBPF) discussed the longstanding interstate boundary issues with Assam at a meeting here on Monday.
The main objective of the meeting, however, was to interact with the newly posted circle officers of Gumto, Kakoi, Kimin and Tarasso, and to apprise them of the issues related to the interstate boundary with Assam.
Papum Pare DC Jiken Bomjen urged the participants to “work in tandem with the border peace committees constituted for the subdivisions, circles and villages for a coordinated border management.”
SP Taru Gusar, sharing his experiences vis-a-vis the border issue, urged the members of the forum to “maintain the status quo on the interstate boundary, in view of the upcoming general elections.”
Stating that “there are no cases of fresh encroachment,” the SP said that the border peace committees should inform the administration immediately if there is any case of encroachment.
Banderdewa DFO TT Topu informed that “the interstate borders under my jurisdiction falls under the reserved forest area,” and added that “the forest department envisages protection of forest and wildlife, and has accordingly increased patrolling in the area.”
PPDBPFC president Nabam Akin urged the administration to settle the boundary issue as soon as possible.
Referring to “the boundary meeting of 1979, wherein Assam and Arunachal Pradesh had agreed to share information on the activities in and around the border areas, with G Borbora and PK Thungon, the then chief ministers, as signatories,” Akin urged both parties to “abide by the agreement to maintain peace.”
Informing that a survey team from Assam recently visited Bogoli and collected soil samples without the knowledge of the district administration, he said that such incidents should not be allowed to recur.
Later, the participants resolved that both Assam and Arunachal should maintain the status quo and encourage the peace committee initiatives at the block and circle levels.
Earlier, Border Affairs Assistant Director Rome Mele gave a presentation on the border issue and the regional committee reports.
The meeting, which was initiated by the PPDBPFC, was attended also by SDPO R Obing, EAC Dani Rikang, Gumto CO Afa Phassang, Tarasso CO Dr Leegang Ampi, Kakoi CO Rongni Bagang, and members of the PPDBPF. (DIPRO)
