As the Union Human Resource Development Ministry have decided in principle to set up the seventh IIM in the North-East region, Assam and Meghalaya are making all out efforts to be chosen as the location for this prestigious management institution. Though the HRD ministry had already sent a delegation to these states for site selection and other necessary data collection, both Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang are making all out efforts to persuade union HRD Minister Arjun Singh in this regard. 

Hard selling Assam, Mr. Gogoi has roped in some corporate gurus to help his government make an impressive presentation before the HRD Ministry on the advantages of setting up the IIM in Guwahati. A committee comprising officials of various departments, professionals and academicians was constituted by Mr. Gogoi recently to chalk out Dispur's strategy. The names of the corporate gurus and professionals to promote Guwahati as the best choice before Delhi are being kept under wraps. According to insiders that during his recent visit to Delhi, Mr. Gogoi is understood to have reminded some senior leaders of the party in Delhi that one of the clauses of Assam Accord of 1985, signed by late Rajiv Gandhi with All Assam Students' Union (AASU) was that national educational institutes such as IIMs would be set up in Assam. Mr. Gogoi, sources revealed, is also trying to impress Congress president Sonia Gandhi. In his effort to counter Assam Chief Minister, the Meghalaya Government is also not sitting idle. Union Doner Minister P R Kyndiah, who is from Meghalaya, is the best ambassador on behalf of the State to place Shillong's demand to bag the seventh IIM. Shillong was not only stressing the point with regard to the State's rich heritage in the field of education, but also trying to draw the attention of the Centre on the issue of balanced development of all North-Eastern states, not confined to Assam only. Thus Government of Meghalaya argued that Guwahati was already having the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) with it, and thus IIM should be set up in Shillong.

During his visit to North-East, HRD Minister Arjun Singh assured that the proposed IIM would come up in a one and a half year's time, and would initially function under one of the established IIMs for some time. Border row Even after the creation of Arunachal Pradesh three decades back the Assam- Arunachal Pradesh border dispute between both the State in Sonitpur and in Dhemaji district of Assam has remained unsolved for the reason best known to the two state governments and observers feel that both the state government have been using it more as a political tool rather then resolving it amicable. Although the job of mapping the boundary lines and erecting the boundary pillars was completed way back in 1973 despite of that several incidents of land grabbing in the territory of Assam from across the border by the Arunachali tribes have been reported ever since the Land of Rising sun attained it statehood.

Describing several incidents sources said that in 1971-72, the Arunachal Pradesh government had laid a road inside the Chariduar reserve forest in Assam territory. In 1979-80 the people of Arunachal Pradesh had blocked the construction of an office building by the Assam forest department in the Chariduar revenue block in Sonitpur district. Later the Darrang district (now Sonitpur) authorities had to intervene to continue the construction. On March 26, 1982, the Arunachal Pradesh administration constructed a check gate within the Chariduar reserve forest which was later dismantled following the order of the then Darrang deputy commissioner on September 8, 1982. Further the Arunachal forest department on June 27, 1990 parked a timber coupe within the Chariduar forest. In April 1994 there was a large scale feeling of trees in the Balipara reserve forest area and timber worth lakhs of rupees were taken to various saw mills at Bhalukpong in Arunachal Pradesh. Even then it did not end the Arunachal Pradesh government granted trade licenses to many shops in the territory of Assam along the border area at Bhalukpong. The disputes between the two states reached a boiling point when a liquor shop with license from the Arunachal government was opened along the border in Assam territory. The Assam government ordered the liquor shop to down shutters immediately. Later the Arunachal government constructed a massive gate about 150 meters high at Bhalukpong area which according to the Survey of India map belongs to Assam. The issue was probed by the Sonitpur district administration and the matter was immediately reported to the government.

Subsequently the Sonitpur deputy commissioner ordered for demolisation of the gate. However a request was made by the Arunachal government officials not to dismantle the gate but assured to stop further construction. Official sources alleged that although a decision to maintain status quo was arrived at a diplomatic meetings between the two states but Arunachal Pradesh government had often been violating the agreement. It may also be mentioned that in 1992 the then chief minister of Assam late Hiteshwar Saikia and his counterpart Gegong Apang had assured that they would solve the border disputes immediately but still after one decade the disputes persist.

Talking about the forest land under Sonitpur west division forest officials here said of the seven reserve forest 35,515 hectares of forest land have been encroached by various people while Arunachali people have encroached 110 hectares of forest land in Assam side and added that 85 per cent of the entire Naduar reserve forest comprising an area of 8141 have been encroached since 1982. As per official records in 1993 forest department resorted to firing in Joysidi area after encroachers attacked the forest and police officials. Five encroachers were killed, the sources said and added that from 1994 to 2002 December 33 anti encroachment drive were carried out  and as per report 4117 huts were demolished , 7393 hectares of lands were cleared and 49 persons were arrested.

About Behali reserve forest having an area of 14006 hectare the encroachers including 400 Arunachal Pradesh families have already encroached 3075 hectare of forest land the sources said adding that at Tarasoo area under Behali police station in Sonitpur district the situation is more graves. More then 400 Arunachali families are illegally residing in the land belonging to Assam side the official said and added that even the Arunachal Government violating the status quo has set up a Border Out Post (BOP) of Arunachal Pradesh police, schools, girls hostel and a church since 1990. Electricity connection to the villagers living well inside the Assam side was given from Itanagar, the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh.

Assamese villagers living in the vicinity of the border area at Tarasso are already in a state of panic due to large deployment of security forces by the Arunachal Pradesh government in the area. Even they are prepared to shift provided adequate land and employment are provided. Villagers talking to this correspondent on a recent visit in the area said that “more encroachment by Arunachali people are expected in the area as most of them have their own gun and further they are assisted by their local police.” The district officials in a recent report to the government has suggested that the road from Kalaguri to Tasasso in the area should be closed in order to prevent entry of encroachers from Arunachal Pradesh side as well as from Assam side . Besides that a BOP of Assam police along with arms and ammunitions should be stationed there along with setting up a new check gate at Thangapani area. Meanwhile senior citizens of the district alleged that the high power committee set up by both the government has become a non-starter, The leaders of both the side hardly find time to visit the spot for first hand information, they said .

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