GUWAHATI: Transportation and supply of essential commodities at the Assam-Mizoram border have returned to normalcy, said Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
Sonowal has directed to ensure the seamless movement of trucks and other vehicles through the inter-state border.
The cheif minister on Thursday said, “The situation is under control now and the Centre has also initiated the process to douse the situation. Assam wants to foster its age-old friendship with all its neighbouring northeastern states and will continue to press for it. Everyone must realize that for speedy growth of the northeast region, peace is the first criteria. Everyone must value it.”
Tension had sparked last week near Vairengte village in Mizoram’s Kolasib district and Lailapur in Assam’s Cachar district. Stones were pelted and many suffered injuries while miscreants from the Mizoram side also torched houses and shops on the Assam side.
Subsequently, locals on the Assam side also blocked the roads leading to Mizoram and stopped supplies. Over 200 Mizoram-bound goods vehicles, mostly trucks remained stranded on National Highway 306 that links the two states due to the clashes.
Both the states had agreed to a home secretary-level talk on Wednesday.
Earlier, the Mizoram government blaming the Assam government of transgression observed that it would explore possibilities of transporting essential goods through the neighbouring states of Manipur and Tripura, and even from the neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh if necessary.
“On Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Sonowal over the phone and took stock of the present situation. He inquired about the steps taken by the state government to defuse tension at the border and said that the Union Home Ministry has initiated steps for maintaining peace at the Assam-Mizoram border,” he added.
Sonowal informed the Union Home Minister that Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga during a telephonic talk earlier assured him to take positive steps for bolstering peace at the border and strengthening brotherhood among the people of both the states.
