Addl CS writes to MHA for boundary demarcation State keen to resolve Tungjoy-Kezhakeno border dispute
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 02 2017:
The State Government has written to the Government of India to help resolve the protracted border dispute between Tungjoy village of Senapati district, Manipur and Kezha-keno village of Phek district, Nagaland with direct invol-vement of the Survey of India .
The border dispute is not a recent thing.
It has been there since many decades back .
Together with armed Nagaland police, around 50 armed persons of Kezha-keno village intruded into Jekhao, Tungjoy village on July 21, 2012 and abducted four individuals resulting in a tense stand-off between the two border villages, conveyed a source .
Highlighting the need for a proper boundary demarcation in order to resolve the border dispute, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dr J Suresh Babu wrote a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Joint Secretary (North East in-charge) Satyendra Garg on August 22 so that all necessary steps are taken up by the two neighbouring States together with the Survey of India .
The letter pointed out the need for a proper boundary demarcation between the neighbouring villages and erection of boundary pillars .
The State's Chief Secretary also wrote another letter to his Nagaland counterpart a few days back with a proposal to make joint efforts to resolve the border dispute .
Taking serious note of the tense stand-off that broke out between Tungjoy and Kezhakeno in 2012, the two neighbouring States talked at the level of Chief Secretary and concerned Deputy Commissioners so as to averting such conflicts .
Both the Government of Manipur and the Government of Nagaland directed the two neighbouring villages to maintain status quo until the border dispute is settled and also not to take up any development programme within the disputed area .
However, the Government of Nagaland had open- ed an armed police outpost, constructed rest camp, dam and roads apart from planting trees and electrifying the disputed area .
Moreover, Nagaland Government had opened a police station at Kezhakeno village and an office of Assistant Commissioner.
A Border Magistrate has also been stationed at Jekesha, Phek district .
"Even as we have approached the Government of Manipur repeatedly to take up development and modernisation projects in their area as done just beyond the State boundary, no satisfactory action has been initiated till date", decried some Tungjoy villagers.