A village along the Golaghat-Wokha border remains without basic amenities, like electricity connection, as it is caught in a tug of war between Assam and Nagaland with both states claiming ownership over the land.
Some distance away, the last stretch of road connecting the two states depicts a picture of neglect, as it, too, is trapped in the border dispute between these two neighbours.
The village is inside the Nagaland Seed Farm premise, which is located in a disputed area in Merapani with Assam claiming the land to be under its Golaghat district and Nagaland, claiming it as part of the Wokha border.
"We are caught in this struggle for control between the two states and are deprived of even basic amenities. We don't have any power connection, motorable roads or potable water," a resident Sajjan Bhengra said.
Both Assam and Nagaland governments had tried to provide electricity connection several times and even poles were erected, he said. However, as it comes under the disputed area, both governments have to take the consent of their counterpart for any developmental activity and each time, the other government put a spanner when one tried to provide electricity, Bhengra alleged.
The people are voters of Golaghat constituency in Assam, but the area where they live is within the demarcated premise of a Nagaland seed farm.
Established a few years after Nagaland was carved out of Assam, the farm is located in the middle of villages of Assam and the entire area is designated as a 'disputed area', where CRPF is deployed to ensure law and order.
Sushila Baga, another villager, said she had mentioned the plight of the villagers before their local MLA Ajanta Neog, who is the Finance minister of Assam, more than once.
"Ajanta 'baidew' (elder sister) comes for meetings in nearby areas. I had myself told her that we don't even have a power connection. She assured me of taking it up with Nagaland but nothing has happened yet," she lamented.
Baga added that 30-40 families in their village were given Rs 7,000 each by Neog for installing solar lights, but almost all of them ended up using the money for other urgent requirements.
Third-generation settler Purba Kurwa pointed out that the children were not being able to pursue their education due to a lack of connectivity.
"We did not get the opportunity to study and are now earning through menial labour. Now, even our children are being deprived of that opportunity. The condition of our village has been almost unchanged since our grandparents first settled here," he said.
Families, belonging to the Adivasi community, had come as workers when the seed farm was being set up, Somnath Subba, an elderly businessman of a nearby village said.
"We see the difficulties these people face with no roads, bridges or electricity. We request the governments of both the states to sit together and devise a way to provide them with these basic facilities," he added.
