ITANAGAR, 10 Sep: Stating that the boundary dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh is still pending before the Supreme Court, the Durpai Boundary Committee in Lower Siang district on Monday appealed to the state government to take urgent steps to stop/restrict the construction of boundaries around Durpai village and around the properties of the people of the village till the final disposal of the writ petition filed in the Supreme Court, that stays the memorandum of understanding (MoU) executed on 20 April last year.
In a representation to the chief minister on Monday, the committee termed the MoU “arbitrary, illegal and in deprivation of the fundamental rights of the villagers of Durpai.”
It stated that “Durpai village under Kangku circle is under the jurisdiction of Likabali Assembly constituency of Arunachal Pradesh. The villagers of Durpai are affected by the boundary dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, following the impugned MoU of 20 April, 2023. By virtue of this MoU, the village of Durpai is illegally being landlocked, whereas their land in and around will be transferred to the state of Assam.”
“On dated 20-04-2023, without taking the will and consent of the villagers of Durpai a memorandum of understanding was executed between the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, in respect of 123 villages and this MoU dated 20-04-2023, has been illegally signed by the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and thereby the Durpai village land, which is part and parcel of state of Arunachal Pradesh, was planned to transfer to the state of Assam by forming a loop (landlocked village with state of Assam around in all sides), because according to the state of Arunachal Pradesh, Durpai village is situated beyond the 3km radius of HPTC delineated boundary, which is absolutely illegal on part of the state of Arunachal Pradesh conceptualising this 3km radius,” the committee said.
