BP 82 found erected 300 m inside Manipur
Source: The Sangai Express

Moreh, July 08 2019: Even as the controversy surrounding Indo-Myanmar Border Pillar (BP) 81 has not been settled yet, BP 82 has been removed from its original position, only to re-erected 300 metres towards India.

Meanwhile, Myanmar authority has banned construction of road which would connect Kwatha Khunou, Molphei and Nongkam Satang on the ground the road's alignment runs 230 m inside the territory of Myanmar.

On receiving information about Myanmar authority's prohibition on the road construction work, this correspondent travelled 12 Kms on foot from Kwatha Khunou Lamkhai to the point where the road alignment purportedly falls within the territory of Myanmar and talked with Nungkam Satang villagers.

Together with some villagers, this correspondent went to BP 82 .

BP 82 found erected 300 m inside Manipur

There Nungkam Satang village authority ex-chairman TK Kothil said, "When we were young and in our youth, BP 82 was erected about 300 m away towards Myanmar from its present position but taking advantage of total abandonment of Nungkam Satang village during the Naga-Kuki conflict, Myanmar authority re-erected BP 82 300 m away from its original position towards India".

By re-positioning BP 82, Myanmar authority has taken over large tracts of Manipur's territory.

Even as relevant departments were informed about the shifting of BP 82, the authorities concerned have been paying no attention, TK Kothil lamented.

Meanwhile, Myanmar officers came near Nungkam Satang village, about 1 Km away from BP 82 on July 5 and demanded a halt to cutting of hill slopes for construction of a road under PMGSY which would connect Kwatha Khunou, Nungkam Satang and Molphei on the ground that the road alignment runs 230 metres within the territory of Myanmar.

Subsequently, all the workers who are engaged in the road construction work returned to Kwatha Khunou together with two excavators (JCB) and two bull dozers.

Regarding the allegation of Myanmar authority that the road alignment runs within the territory of Myanmar, M Korung, an aged villager of Nungkam Satang said that they have been cultivating paddy since 1951 in and around the area where the road alignment allegedly runs within the territory of Myanmar as the area clearly belongs to the territory of Manipur.

Myanmar authority has no right to prohibit construction of road in the particular area as this area belongs to Nungkam Satang, M Korung asserted.

He also urged both the State Government and the Central Government to take a firm position on the matter and take up necessary action.

Notably, a team of Myanmar officials led by a Deputy Commissioner (DC) was seen visiting the contested area yesterday.

Moreover, a number of trees and timbers were seen put across the course of the road as if the area belongs to Myanmar.

Further, another team of officials led by the Tamu DC was found seen visiting the BP 82.However, on seeing the team of media persons coming from the Indian side, the team led by the Tamu DC hurried away from the spot.

Although both the Government of India and the State Government have been shouting repeatedly that they would not cede an inch of Manipur's territory, a number of Indian villages located within the Indo-Myanmar border in Tengnoupal district have been encroached and claimed by Myanmar as their territory.