GUWAHATI — The third day of the Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly witnessed heated exchanges over the state’s decades-old interstate boundary disputes. Opposition legislators raised serious concerns over armed intimidation and administrative harassment faced by residents living in the border tracts, urging the government to secure a permanent resolution.
In response, Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora tabled official land data highlighting the vast extent of Assam’s territory currently under encroachment by neighboring northeastern states.
1. Official Border Encroachment Statistics
According to the official data released by the Ministry of Border Protection and Development on the floor of the House, over 1.61 lakh hectares of Assam’s land is currently encroached upon by four neighboring states.
| Neighboring State | Encroached Area (in Hectares) | Current Status of Dispute Resolution |
| Mizoram | 82,752 ha | Ministerial and regional committee-level talks underway |
| Nagaland | 59,490 ha | Long-standing dispute; sub-judice before the Supreme Court |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 16,144 ha | Border pact active; ground demarcation ongoing |
| Meghalaya | 3,442 ha | Phase-1 agreement signed; Phase-2 negotiations active |
2. Historical Context and Resolving the Impasse
Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Minister Atul Bora emphasized that the boundary friction is a structural legacy issue dating back to the reorganization of the northeast region.
“The interstate boundary problem is a long-standing issue that predates the present government. When new states were carved out of Assam, the boundaries were not fully and clearly demarcated on the ground, leading to these historical disputes. We are trying to resolve these issues permanently through bilateral dialogue. Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram have proactively come forward, while talks with Nagaland are continuing despite a pending case before the Supreme Court. We are hopeful of resolving these issues within the next five years.”
— Atul Bora, Border Protection and Development Minister
3. Opposition Alleges Ground-Level Harassment and Extortion
The government’s response was met with sharp criticism from the opposition benches, with legislators claiming that the state’s slow diplomatic approach has left border residents vulnerable.
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Financial Extortion and Intimidation: Rupahihat Congress MLA Nurul Hoda expressed strong dissatisfaction with the minister’s reply, alleging that armed groups from neighboring states routinely intimidate local residents. He claimed that border households have been served illegal notices demanding money, and called for immediate, robust security interventions.
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Failure of Repeated Trilateral Talks: Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed criticized both the state and central governments, pointing out that despite numerous high-profile meetings, people living along the Assam-Nagaland boundary continue to face harassment and administrative interference from neighboring authorities. He urged the government to move past repetitive meetings and secure legally binding peace settlements to protect citizens.
