The Survey of India had published a map of Meghalaya in 2009 without the consent of the state government, Deputy Chief Minister R C Laloo said today.
"The publication of the map series 2009 was done without consent the state government and district administrations which mean that there was no consultation," Laloo said while replying to a motion moved by Hill State People Democratic Party legislator P Pangniang in the state assembly here.
He said the Survey of India, Department of Science and Technology had published the first edition of the state map series of Meghalaya in 2009 which showed only 7 districts and did not include the 12 areas of difference with Assam.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that the government had strongly objected and had also sought clarification from the Additional Surveyor General Survey of India, Shillong, as to why the areas of difference with Assam were not included.
Following this, the Additional Surveyor General Survey of India clarified that in the map published in 2009, the inter-state boundary between Assam and Meghalaya was shown according to North Eastern Area Reorganization Act, 1971.
The state government then instructed that the Map should carry a caveat or a remark that inter-state boundary with Assam is yet to be verified in view of the sensitivity that it involves following which the Survey of India rectified and carry a caveat which read - "Inter-State boundary with Assam is yet to be verified", the deputy chief minister said.
Earlier, Pangniang alleged that the 12 areas of difference were missing from the Map published in 2009 and demanded that the same be corrected.
The deputy chief minister also informed that the inter-state boundary problem between Meghalaya and Assam persist despite chief ministers of both states meeting each other 19 times since 1971 to try solve the issue amicably.
There are at least 12 areas of difference between the two neighbouring states and efforts are on to solve the issue at the official level, he said.
"For the last so many years, we have had around 21 meetings and still we were not able to solve the problem," Laloo said.
He said the chief ministers of the two states - Assam and Meghalaya - have met at least 19 times since September 1, 1971 till June 5, 2010 to discuss on the issue.
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The chief secretaries of Meghalaya and Assam have met 9 times from June 3, 1992 to May 4, 2012 and the meeting of the nodal officers was held three times from October 20, 2012 to May 30, 2014, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister R C Laloo said.
Stating that boundary dispute with Assam is a very old issue, the deputy chief minister said that the state government is very much alive with this problem and have already submitted documents on the 12 areas of difference with all historical claims to Assam.
Informing that a resolution for constitution of a Boundary Commission by the Centre was also passed in the House on March 16, 2011, he, however, said but the state government is yet to receive any intimation from the Centre on this regard.
"We will continue to discuss with our counterpart in Assam and we stand by our justification," he said.
He also expressed optimism that the Assam government will respond to the submission given through engagement under the present leadership
Former deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh, had also urged the state government to also pursue with Assam for returning back the villages under Block I & II to Meghalaya which were transferred to the then Government of Assam for creation of the two districts - Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills in 1951.
