Dy CM to probe 'security fencing' gaffe
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 28 2013: Not ruling out possibility of the media misquoting Principal Secretary (Home) Dr suresh Babu on the border fencing dispute comment, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Gaikhangam has however assured that the matter would be seriously looked into.

Responding to posers from newspersons on his arrival at ISKCON temple for the Janmasthami celebration today, Gaikhangam also confided that a Cabinet team will soon visit the border areas to establish veracity about reports that the ongoing border fencing would bifurcate many border villages of Manipur in Chandel district.

Describing the border fencing work initiated by the Government of India and Myanmar as crucial and that the Government of Manipur is according high importance to the issue, he conceded that the State's intervention would have little impact as the project is being carried out on the basis of an agreement between the Governments of India and Myanmar.

The Home Minister, nevertheless, asserted that every possible measures would be undertaken by the State Government to protect Manipur's territorial boundary.

Expressing that in case there is error in the fencing project it is the State Government as well as the people's prerogative to highlight and rectify the fault, he maintained that constitution of the high power committee under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary (Home) as well as the personal assessment of the situation in the border areas by the Governor testify that the State Government is committed to sorting out all outstanding disputes arising out of the border fencing work.

Disagreeing with the comment of the Principal Secretary (Home) Dr suresh Babu that the fencing work relates to security fencing and not border fencing, Gaikhangam opined that the bureaucrat officer might have been misquoted by the media.

The Government is awaiting submission of the committee's official report based on which all relevant action would be initiated, he affirmed.

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