Border row: 120 yards, not 3 kms, says ICHAM
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 31 2018:
Information Centre Hill Areas of Manipur (ICHAM) has appealed to all those concerned not to call any bandh or resort to any protest as Chief Minister N Biren Singh has assured that the Joint Secretary of External Affairs, India has left for Myanmar to discuss the Indo-Myanmar border issue and a positive solution will be brought soon.
Speaking to media persons at ICHAM office today, its president Yuimi Horam said that after the border issue was raised to the State Government and the Central Government, a team of the Central Joint Secretary, External Affairs Surveyor General of India and Ministry of Home Affairs Joint Secretary came to Manipur on July 25 to survey the border.
After conducting the necessary survey, the team announced that they would come again within a month, he added.
However, after the said team failed to arrive, ICHAM, Committee on Protection of Indo-Myanmar Border Land Manipur, Kwatha Khunou and a joint team of Kwatha Khullen met the Chief Minister today.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister informed that the Joint Secretary of External Affairs Ministry has left for Myanmar to discuss the Indo-Myanmar border issue.
ICHAM has been urging the State Government to look into the border issue since 2013 but to no avail.
However, the BJP led State Government has taken up keen interest in the issue raised by ICHAM and making sure that a Central team reach Manipur for necessary survey, which is laudable, Yuimi added.
He further claimed that even though many CSOs and politicians claim that around 3 kilometres of the State land have been affected, it is actually 120 yards.
ICHAM has necessary documents for the measurement from a survey before 2013, he added.
Urging all those concerned to rectify the error, he mentioned that any interested party can come check the documents at ICHAM office.
Yuimi further appealed to all those concerned not to resort to any protest or bandhs etc until the Joint Secretary of External Affairs Ministry return from Myanmar as a solution cannot be brought by only the Central and the State Governments.
Involvement of Myanmar Government is also necessary for a positive solution, he added.
On the other hand, during the meeting with the Chief Minister today, ICHAM put forward proposals for the construction of a 58 kilometre long ring road from Moreh to Border Pillar 95, development of Kwatha roads as well as construction of a guest house at Kwatha Khunou.
The CM assured to take up necessary steps to meet the demands raised during the meeting today, he added.