Border gate closure hits hard Moreh denizens
Source: Chronicle News Service
Moreh, November 27 2022:
Deeply saddened by prolonged closure of border trade between India and Myanmar, Meetei Council Moreh president M Thoiba Meitei has urged the state government to look into the present condition of border trade through Moreh and take up necessary alternative steps.
According to Thoiba, border gates at Moreh remains closed till date since COVID-19 pandemic and this has not only stopped trade activities between the two countries but also prevented tourists from going to Myanmar from Moreh.
Though ICP Moreh office is opening every day no tourist comes to the office.
Prolonged closure of border gates has severely affected small time traders of Moreh who used to engage in cross-border trading.
These traders have no paddy fields to take up agriculture and allied activities and they survive on cross-border trading activities.
Despite the closure of border gates, some Myanmarese vegetable sellers cross into Moreh and sell their products door-to-door in various localities of the border town.
Moreh residents prefer Myanmarese vegetables they are cheaper than vegetables brought from Imphal, Thoiba said, adding that people of Moreh are almost dependent on Myanmar and they could survive with Myanmar products even if NH-102 (Imphal-Moreh) road is closed for a long time.
M Thoiba Meitei further urged chief minister N Biren Singh to look into the present condition of people of Moreh and take up necessary action for the welfare of entire communities settling in the border town.
Despite strict vigil by police and police commandos, theft cases in Moreh have increased as people have no job, he said.
The MCM leader further said that border trade through Moreh would stop if border gates continue to close for some more years and the name Moreh would also be forgotten among the traders.