No.356/2020-2021 

Aizawl, the 8th November 2020 : The Chief Secretary, Shri Pu Lalnunmawia Chuaungo this afternoon had a Press Conference at SAD Conference Hall, MINECO where he had briefed media persons on the outcome of the meeting held with Union Home Secretary Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla and his Assam counterpart Shri Jishnu Baruah regarding the current border impasse at Lailapur, agreement regarding the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in the border areas provided by the Union Government and the re-opening of NH-306 which has been blockaded at Lailapur in Assam for the past 12 days.

The Chief Secretary pointed that Mizoram and Assam have a long standing border dispute but due to the recent flare ups along the disputed areas, all highways from Assam into Mizoram have been blockaded for the past 12 days. He said that the Union Government has been making sincere efforts for reopening the highways connecting to Mizoram to the rest of the country while addressing the concerns of both state governments.

He noted that the meeting initiated by the Union Home Secretary today attended by him and his Assam counterpart was fruitful. He said that Mizoram had agreed to redeploy a part of its police forces which are currently deployed near the disputed areas to reassure its residents in the border areas. He said that three companies of BSF which have sent to the State Government by the Central Government will be deployed at the borders areas at Vairengte and Saihapui-V in Kolasib District adjoining Cachar District of Assam and at Thinghlun in Mamit District adjoining Karimganj District of Assam and an equal number of the state police forces from these areas would be redeployed elsewhere. On the part of Assam, he said the Assam Government had agreed to take steps to open all blockades of the highways connecting Mizoram and Assam from today evening itself. He mentioned that 1 Company and 1 Platoon of BSF would be deployed at Vairengte; two Platoons at Saihapui-V and 1 Company at Thinghlun. He also mentioned that for the time being a small section of its police forces would still be present in the areas to reassure the people in the border as agreed by the Union Home Secretary on the graded withdrawal of forces.

Pu Lalnunmawia Chuaungo said that Mizoram was committed to the agreement arrived in the meeting and hoped that Assam Government too would be committed towards getting the highways reopened. He pointed that the bomb explosions in two schools in the disputed areas was deplorable and such acts are acts of vandalism which need to be condemned at all levels. He appealed to people of both states in the border areas work for peace and harmony and return of normalcy in the areas.

The Chief Secretary mentioned that the Government of Mizoram explored alternative routes for transport of essential supplies from other neighbouring states and some headway had been made. He further said that the Chief Minister also contemplated getting supplies from neighboring countries since the 12 days of blockade has caused a big distress to the population.

After the briefing, the Chief Secretary answered the queries of the press.