Itanagar, Mar 12: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday announced that the state government will soon engage with Assam to address the boundary dispute in Changlang district. The district was not included in the Namsai Declaration signed in 2022 to resolve border issues between the two states.

Khandu explained that Changlang was excluded due to the failure of the regional committee to submit its report to the local commission set up by the Supreme Court. The Namsai Declaration aimed to resolve disputes in 123 villages across 11 districts, reducing the number of disputed villages from 123 to 86.

During the assembly session, Khandu assured the lawmakers that the matter concerning Changlang would be handled separately with Assam. Independent MLA Laisam Simai raised concerns about the inactivity of the regional committee for Changlang, formed in June 2022, due to Assam’s opposition. Assam argued that Changlang was not mentioned in the 2014 local commission report.

Home Minister Mama Natung responded by stating that Assam had objected to Changlang’s inclusion in the resolution process because it was not part of the 2014 report. However, he confirmed that Arunachal Pradesh had formally requested Assam for an early resolution, and the matter remains under active review.

Natung also informed that boundary disputes in districts such as West Kameng, East Siang, Lohit, Tirap, and Namsai had been resolved, while disputes in Pakke Kessang, Papum Pare, Kamle, Lower Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, and Longding are under review. Joint inspections of disputed areas are scheduled between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam committees in the coming months.

The Namsai Declaration, signed in 2022 by Chief Ministers Pema Khandu and Himanta Biswa Sarma, sought to reduce the number of disputed villages between the two states. Arunachal Pradesh has long claimed that certain territories traditionally belonged to its tribal communities but were transferred to Assam, and the dispute remains pending in the Supreme Court.