Shillong, Nov. 7: Meghalaya will soon set up a police outpost at Langpih (Lampi in Assam), a disputed area claimed by both the state and Assam.

Deputy chief minister H.S. Lyngdoh, who is in charge of home, told the Assembly today that Meghalaya had a temporary police outpost at Lejadubi near Langpih and efforts were on to set up a full-fledged outpost at Langpih.

Meghalaya has two temporary police outposts at Lejadubi and Ktiehthwiab in West Khasi Hills, bordering Assam.

Assam had a police outpost in Langpih, but there was no presence of Meghalaya police in the area till the controversy erupted this year.

Assam laid the foundation stone of a health sub-centre and initiated other development packages at Langpih on May 31. It was then that Meghalaya protested, saying Langpih belonged to it and Assam had forcefully occupied the place in 1979 and had since been encouraging Nepalis to come and settle there.

An official-level meeting held between Meghalaya and Assam chief ministers in Dispur on June 12 had entrusted the chief secretaries of the two states with discussing the matter under the banner of a co-ordination committee. It was decided that regular meetings would be held to find an amicable solution to the dispute.

The committee is expected to submit its report within six months.

Replying to a question posed by Congress legislator P. Syiem, Lyngdoh said Assam had also claimed several other areas on the border, but residents and the Meghalaya government had made it clear that Assam could not occupy the areas belonging to Meghalaya.

Answering a supple mentary question by Congress legislator Mukul Sangma, Lyngdoh said Assam had claimed 108 villages in Langpih.

The deputy chief minister said the Donkupar Roy government was committed to solving the boundary problem with Assam within six months.

Opposition leader and Congress legislator D.D. Lapang asked the government to make serious efforts to solve the border problem without pinning the blame on the previous government led by him.

Speaker Bindo Lanong said the Meghalaya-Assam border dispute was a vexed issue as there were claims and counter-claims.

“As the matter is serious, the state government should examine all options to sort out the matter,” he added.