Guwahati, 05 March (HS): Assam’s Border Security and Development Minister Atul Bora told the Assembly that about 83,000 hectares of the state’s land has been encroached by four neighboring states – Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

In response to a question by Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed, Minister Bora said that Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram have encroached a total of 82,751.86 hectares of land. Of these, Nagaland has occupied the maximum area of 59,490.21 hectares. Arunachal Pradesh has encroached 16,144.01 hectares of land, while Mizoram has 3,675.78 hectares of land in its possession. Meghalaya has encroached upon 3,441.86 hectares, the least among these four states.

The districts affected by encroachment include Sonitpur, Biswanath, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo and Jorhat, the minister said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash