The forest department of Hailakandi district conducted a drone survey on Sunday in the Haticherra reserve forest adjoining the Mizoram border and subsequently sent a forest team to the upper stream of Haticherra reserve forest on Monday. The forest officials claim that around 3.5 kilometres of road have been constructed by Mizoram inside Assam in the area. The official further asserted that the illegal construction work is against the central government advisory to avoid construction in the disputed areas along the inter-state border.

It is learnt that hundreds of Mizos are involved in the construction work who happens to be also armed. The area is deep inside the forest area near the interstate border and is difficult to access.  

The officials informed that now the department has video footage of the construction taking place inside the reserve forest which falls between Assam and Mizoram.

The 3.5 kms of area inside Assam is being disturbed by cutting the trees for making a road which was found during the physical visit by the Hailkandi forest team and now they are compiling a report based on the evidence.

The Superintendent of Police of the district has however informed that the construction work is being stopped and they are in touch with their counterparts in the Kolasib district of Mizoram. However, the mapping of the area is going on and after identifying the area scientifically it would be possible to state on whose side of land the reported construction falls.

The Mizoram and Assam borders have a shared 165 Km border and are facing disputes in multiple places resulting in regular skirmishes to border firing. Not to mention the infamous July 26 firing by Mizoram police that killed six Assam police personnel and injured many. Ministry of Home Affairs  on November 5, had issued an advisory to Mizoram and Assam to maintain the status quo on the disputed areas along the inter-state border and refrain from undertaking any construction activities.

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