Chaoba fires salvo at Ibobi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 11 2013: Making a fresh attack against Chief Minister O Ibobi, BJP State unit president Th Chaoba has stated that it was Chief Minister O Ibobi who is also Chairman of the State Wildlife Advisory Board who doled out huge chunks of Manipur's territory in connivance with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Noting that none of the MPs elected from the State cannot raise a single voice in the Parliament regarding the issue of border fencing along Manipur sector of Indo-Myanmar border, Chaoba said that BJP would work to salvage every inch of Manipur's territory handed over to Myanmar as a result of the border fencing work by urging the party's central leaders and MPs take up the issue in the Parliament.

Speaking to media persons at their Nityaipat Chuthek office today, Chaoba again claimed that it was Chief Minister who initiated the process of border fencing in 2006 .

State Wildlife Advisory Board Chairman O Ibobi gave consent in 2008 for construction of border fence 10 Kms long and 10 metres wide through Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary without approval of the State Cabinet and without informing the people.

So far, the border fencing work has been completed for four Kms.

In 2010, the Ministry of Home Affairs gave Rs 5.03 crore to the Compensatory Afforestation Planning and Management Authority which was constituted at the behest of the Supreme Court.

Subsequently the management authority deposited Rs 2.65 crore with the State Forest Department in three phases and this was accepted by the Chief Minister himself, Chaoba asserted.

The amount thus deposited was given as compensation for the forest land and wildlife which would be affected by the border fencing.

After the State Wildlife Board gave consent for the border fencing project on June 25, 2008, the National Board of Wildlife Management Authority gave its approval of the same project same year.

Finally, the project was given the green signal by the State Advisory Group comprising of State officials and Assam Rifles officers.

BJP was wonderstruck when the Chief Minister feigned ignorance of all these facts, Chaoba said.

For the Chief Minister has already given his consent for the border fencing work which by implication means doling out large chunks of Manipur's territory, political parties' common memorandum would not serve any purpose.

It would be in the best interest of the State if the issue is raised in the Parliament.

BJP State unit would urge the party's central leaders and MPs to raise the issue in the Parliament in order to preserve Manipur's territorial integrity.

Chaoba said.

BJP spokesman Prof S Tiken maintained that a joint survey of the Indo-Myanmar boundary should be conducted first before going ahead with the construction of border fence.

Comment