Slur on AR check posts at Bongyang, Tengnoupal
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 17 2011: Com-plaining against 'unwarran- ted harassments' meted out to goods carriers along Imphal-Moreh road by 42 Assam Rifles at Bongyang check post and 29 Assam Rifles at Tengnoupal, Bor-der Trade & Chamber of Commerce, Moreh has contended that such unwa-rranted harassment has not only affected the border trade activities but would also be detrimental to the efforts being made towards increasing the volume of the ongoing Indo-Myan-mar border trade through Moreh.

On being contacted, Colonel GS of IGAR (S) however dubbed the protest as unjustified.

Elaborating, the officer said, "We do not check all the vehicles.

The vehicles are checked on the basis of hard intelligence inputs and the proof of the pudding lies in the recent recoveries by the troops along this route" .

The checks are conducted to detect the smuggling of war like stores along the National Highway by militant organisations, he said and added that the troops have confiscated a number of wild life products, wood and weapons while being smuggled through the highway.

Illegal migrants from Myanmar, trying to sneak into the country, have also been detected and arrested, said the Colonel .

"Banned medicines, meant for manufacturing opium and heroin have been seized while they were being smuggled along the route," said the Colonel and added that even the Narcotics Bureau had expressed their gratitude to the troops.

The complaint lodged is just a pressure tactic to rein in the activities of the AR troops, declared Colonel GS.

In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, Border Trade & Chamber of Commerce, Moreh pointed out that trucks carrying goods for the local market of Moreh are stopped at the checkposts of Assam Rifles, the drivers are ordered to off load the goods, packed cases and cartons of goods are forcibly broken for checking, thereby damaging goods.

Sometimes, goods even get lost in the process of checking.

Recently, on June 3, 2011, good trucks bearing registration no.UP 52 S-2933 was detained by the 29 Assam Rifles at Tengnoupal check post and later handed over to Tengnoupal police, the memorandum, signed joint-ly by president of Border Trade & Chamber of Commerce, Moreh V Shekhar and general secretary S Surinder Singh Patheja, charged.

The Border Trade & Chamber of Commerce, Moreh has approached the Commanding Officer of the Assam Rifles stationed at Moreh and apprised him about the problems being faced by the traders, but the pleas of the traders have not been attended by the authorities, the memorandum lamented.

The memorandum pointed out that Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Government of India and the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) have been taking great pains to develop and increase the volume of trade in Moreh and in 1995, the then Minister of Commerce and Industries P Chidambaram had signed an agreement wherein, both India and Myanmar agreed to trade with each other by land route from Moreh.

However, development of border trade could be possible only if safe and uninterrupted passage is given to goods carriers entering Moreh town.

The business community of Moreh have registered shops, they are paying all applicable taxes and are law abiding citizens of Manipur.

So, they should not be considered as smugglers or treated as such.

The business traders of Moreh must be given the same considerations that are being given to traders in other parts of the State and the country, the memorandum demanded.

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