Mizoram claims Assam police destroyed crops

As the Assam-Mizoram inter-state border row continued, the Mizoram government on Monday claimed that the crops of Mizo farmers had been destroyed by Assam police and demanded adequate compensation by the Assam government.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday told the state Assembly that 1,777 hectares of land in three districts of southern Assam had been encroached by Mizos.

Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana said that last week crops of some Mizo farmers had been destroyed at Buarchep (in Kolasib district) by Assam police and he strongly condemned it.

The Home Minister also said that the adequate compensation must be given by the Assam government to the affected Mizo farmers and that the government of Mizoram would follow up this demand.Lalchamliana said that additional Mizoram police forces have been deployed to the affected areas to quell the public fear and ensure a sense of normalcy.

He said Chief Minister Zoramthanga would convene an all-party meeting on July 14 in Aizawl to discuss the inter-state border issue and the representatives of NGOs and the church leaders would be present in the meeting.

Assam Chief Minister Sarma said in order to free the encroached land from Mizo encroachers and for protection of land and citizens of Assam residing in Assam-Mizoram border all other preventive measures including patrolling, area dominations have been taken up.-IANS