Border survey team arrives ; Visit to BP 81 not enough: UCM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 24 2018: The survey team sent by the Centre to the State will not serve any purpose until and unless the entire border pillar issue and records are resolved on the table with a technical session according to Athouba Khuraijam, secretary general of United Committee Manipur (UCM).

Athouba said this at Tulihal International Airport departure gate after holding a closed door meeting with the three members of the survey team at the airport.

The three member team sent by the Union Government to carry out survey of Border Pillar 81, arrived at Tulihal International Airport at around 12.30 pm today.

The survey team however could not reach Moreh on time today and hence will conduct the survey tomorrow morning.

The three member survey team comprises of Priya Ranganathan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs (Bangladesh and Myanmar), AV Dharma Reddy, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (Border Management) and Lieutenant General Girish Kumar, Survey General of India.

They were warmly received by Chief Secretary J Suresh Babu and other officers of State Government at the airport.

After landing, the survey team held a meeting inside the airport for around half an hour, along with a team of UCM as well.

The survey team declined to give any comment to media persons when they came out of the airport.

Speaking to media persons after their talk with the survey team, Athouba said that they had a partial discussion with the visiting team but failed to come to any conclusion during the talk as the visiting team failed to reply to certain questions put forward by UCM.

He also stated that they made it clear to the visiting team that their visit to the BP 81 will not serve any purpose until and unless the entire border pillar issue is resolved on the table with a technical session When they asked about 1967 traditional boundary reference agreement as well as the source of the traditional boundary, the visiting survey team failed to answer and confirm anything and without this, how will the survey team point out the exact boundary spot of Manipur and Myanmar, said Athouba.

The 1967 agreement will need to be reviewed and settled by both India and Myanmar including the stakeholders of Manipur.

The ultimate demand is a complete resurvey of all border pillars, said Athouba and added that if they are invited to any joint meeting with the survey team, this point will be put up.

On the other hand Chief Secretary Suresh Babu said that the team will directly go to Moreh and see if they can complete their work today.

If not then they will halt the night at Moreh and attend a program tomorrow morning at Kwatha Khunou and then return to Imphal.

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