Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have agreed to coordinate all future activities, including plantation drives, in the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) along the Assam–Nagaland border. The understanding comes after a series of high-level talks between the two leaders following recent friction in the sensitive border zone. An official statement from the Nagaland Chief Secretary’s office said the decision was intended to prevent further escalation and ensure that the DAB remains a zone of peace and cooperation.
The DAB, which stretches across several sectors of the 512-km Assam–Nagaland boundary, has historically been a flashpoint, with competing land claims occasionally triggering clashes and instability. Unilateral eviction and plantation drives by Assam in certain disputed stretches had recently intensified tensions, prompting urgent dialogue between the two states.
In Guwahati, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed concerns over alleged encroachment by Nagas in Golaghat district, dismissing the claims. He highlighted that both states will now collaborate on a large-scale plantation initiative in the DAB, reflecting a new era of cooperation.