November 15, 2021: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma are scheduled to meet at Langpih tomorrow, November 16 to discuss the border issue between the two states.

Langpih is a disputed area. Located near the border of West Khasi Hills district of Meghlaya and Kamrup district of Assam, the Meghalaya administration it is under Kyrdum gram panchayat and for the Assam administration it is part of No 9 Dakhin Pub Boko gram panchayat.

Arguments and skirmishes have taken place between the Khasis and Assamese locals in the area. Developmental work too has been disrupted due to the border dispute.

There are 12 places of dispute between Assam and Meghalaya - Upper Tarabari, Gazang reserve forest, Hahim, Langpih, Borduar, Boklapara, Nongwah, Matamur, Khanapara-Pilangkata, Deshdemoreah Block I and Block II, Khanduli and Retacherra.

Meghalaya was carved out of Assam under the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, a law that it challenged, leading to disputes. The two states share an 885-km-long border.

Langpih was part of the Kamrup district during the British colonial period but post-Independence, it became part of the Garo Hills and Meghalaya.

Assam considers it to be part of the Mikir Hills in Assam.

Meghalaya has questioned Blocks I and II of the Mikir Hills -now Karbi Anglong region - being part of Assam. Meghalaya says these were parts of erstwhile United Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, soon after taking over as the CM of the state had announced that he would take all possible steps to find a solution to the border disputes. He and Meghalaya CM Sangma had met earlier this year to discuss the long pending issue.