Tripura and Mizoram have taken their first formal step towards settling their long-running boundary dispute, with officials from both states meeting in Agartala on Thursday. The talks followed an initiative by Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and a June discussion with Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma. Two study committees will now examine disputed areas and related ground-level concerns.
Key Takeaways
- Tripura and Mizoram held their first official-level meeting in Agartala to address their long-standing boundary dispute.
- Two study committees will examine disputed stretches and related ground-level issues before the next round of talks.
- The dialogue follows Chief Minister Manik Saha’s initiative and his June discussion with Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma.
Tripura and Mizoram have opened a new channel of official dialogue to address their long-standing inter-state boundary dispute.
The first official-level meeting between the two states took place in Agartala on Thursday. The meeting focused on examining boundary-related concerns and finding a mutually acceptable way forward.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha said on Friday that he had earlier initiated efforts to revive discussions with Mizoram over the unresolved issue.
Dr Saha proposed official-level talks first
Dr Saha said he discussed the boundary dispute with Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma during the 73rd plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong on June 4.
During the discussion, Dr Saha proposed that officials from both states should first meet and examine the issues.
He said the two Chief Ministers could then hold discussions based on the findings of the officials.
“Chief Minister Lalduhoma readily agreed to the proposal,” Saha said.
The initiative has now resulted in the first round of official-level discussions between the two governments.
Two study committees to examine disputed areas
An official said the Agartala meeting resulted in an agreement to form two study committees.
The committees will examine the inter-state boundary and related problems at the ground level.
They will study the disputed areas and submit reports on their findings.
The next round of official-level talks will take place after the reports are received, the official said.
Tripura Home Secretary Abhishek Singh led the state delegation.
Mizoram Home Secretary Vanlalmawia headed the delegation from Mizoram.
The decision to involve study committees places the focus on detailed examination of the disputed stretches before the two Chief Ministers take up the matter again.
Boundary dispute has remained unresolved
The Tripura-Mizoram boundary dispute has continued for many years.
The issue has often led to tensions when either state carries out development or construction activities in areas claimed by both sides.
Such activities have frequently prompted objections from the other state.
Tripura shares a 109-km border with Mizoram. It also has a 53-km-long boundary with Assam.
Bangladesh surrounds Tripura on its southern, western and northern sides.
Phuldungsei incident highlighted border tensions
An incident at Phuldungsei village in North Tripura district in May last year highlighted the sensitivity of the disputed areas.
Unidentified assailants hurled moderate-intensity explosives at a tourism building under construction in the village.
The attack caused substantial damage to the structure.
The building was being constructed under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Union Tourism Ministry.
Following the incident, police officials from Tripura and Mizoram visited the mountainous border village.
The visit aimed to assess the situation and help maintain peace in the area.
Tripura Tourism and Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury later met senior district officials.
The authorities subsequently decided to reconstruct the damaged building.
Phuldungsei remains a disputed stretch
Residents on both sides of the inter-state border have long maintained competing territorial claims over Phuldungsei village.
They have claimed that the village falls within the territorial jurisdiction claimed by both Tripura and Mizoram.
The location is therefore regarded as one of the disputed stretches along the boundary.
After the explosive attack, both states strengthened their security presence in the area.
Authorities also kept a close watch on developments to prevent the situation from escalating.
Tripura later raised the matter with Mizoram through official channels.
Survey of India involved in earlier discussions
The two states have made several attempts over the years to address disputed patches along their boundary.
Officials from North Tripura district and Mizoram’s Mamit district have held multiple rounds of discussions on the issue.
Officials from the Survey of India have also taken part in the discussions.
The latest official-level meeting marks a fresh attempt to revive the process through a structured examination of the disputed areas.
Mizoram groups have opposed some construction work
Construction activities by the Tripura government in areas described as disputed have also drawn opposition in Mizoram.
Mizoram-based civil society organisations and student groups have, on several occasions, objected to such projects.
They have described some of the locations as “disputed inter-state border” stretches.
The formation of the two study committees is expected to provide both states with a formal mechanism to examine these concerns.
The next phase of discussions will depend on the reports submitted by the committees.
