More posers than answers post resurvey
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 25 2018: The much hyped and long-awaited Border Pillar (BP) 81 resurvey by the authorities concerned along with different political parties and CSOs turned to be just a mere inspection/visit today with the representatives sent by Union of India simply visiting and observing the spot.

The team, comprising of Surveyor General of India retired Lt General Girish Kumar, Joint Secretary (BM)/ MEA Sripriya Ranganathan and Joint Secretary (NE) AV Dharma Reddy did not measure or survey the border pillar using any device or articles although the representatives listened to the arguments/contentions of the villagers, CSOs and political leaders.

However, a large number of villagers, including womenfolk of Kwatha Khunou and Kwatha Khunjao protested at the spot of BP 81 and its surroundings and prevented the team from returning from the place.

The villagers demanded the team to inspect the place where the BP 81 was erected in the past.

Lieutenant General Girish Kumar as well as other high ranking officers of Assam Rifles and SP Tengnoupal district (who accompanied the team) tried to convince the villagers.

The villagers however refused on the ground that the team did not bring any device and their visit was similar to the trips made by State Government representatives in the past.

The dissatisfied villagers demanded the Central team to make a clear stand on the Border Pillar in addition to paying a visit and inspecting the place where they (the villagers) claimed BP 81 was erected in the past.

The team reluctantly agreed to the villagers' demand as the villagers continued to protest and block their way.

However, the Central team refused to visit the location after covering some distance from the spot (where BP number 81 is presently erected) on the pretext that there may be some inconveniences in reaching the said location as the Burmese authority may object.

Nonetheless with strong protest from the villagers, the team went near the spot as demanded by the villagers and scouted the spot where the villagers claimed the original BP 81 was erected.

While interacting with the political leaders and CSOs representatives at the spot of BP 81 and near the Namjet Lok, there were strong arguments from Congress spokesperson Hareshwar Goswami regarding the claim made by Girish Kumar that the erection of BP number 81 at present was accurate as per the records of the Survey of India.

Goswami brought out a map of the Indo-Myanmar border and tried to convince Girish Kumar for quite a long time.

Some of the other political leaders also spoke with Girish Kumar and conveyed the arguments of the villagers and people of Manipur.

Later, the Surveyor General of India told the people that he understands the arguments made by the political parties, CSOs and villagers and will take note of it.

He further assured that the contentions of the political parties, CSOs and villagers will be discussed with other officials concerned and analysed.

Speaking to media personnel, the Surveyor General of India claimed mat the erection of BP 81 is at the right location and is exactly in the same state based on the records maintained by the Survey of India.

He continued that he will go through the records and analyse the claims made by the villagers.

Conceding that the villagers and people of Manipur are agitating against the present Border Pillar, he conveyed that so far from the side of the Central Government, whatever has been signed in 1967 boundary agreement is on the basis of 1896 Maxwell line and added that some landmarks were initially erected on the Indo-Myanmar border which were then replaced later by Border Pillars.

He also stated that the Survey of India has always consulted stakeholders in settling/working on every Border Pillar while maintaining that the latest exercise on Indo-Myanmar border was just putting of subsidiary pillars in between BP 81 and 82 as they are not inter-visible.

He further claimed that he is sure the villagers (people of Kwatha) must have been consulted at the time when the BPs were erected in the past.

Girish Kumar also said that he will see some more records and if the State Government or other authorities can give some more records, the Survey of India will try to analyse them while rejecting the claim that people/villagers concerned were not consulted at the time of erecting the pillars.

Stakeholders are from India and the Survey of India is here to resolve their issues as well as to understand their concerns and all these will be definitely taken into account, he assured.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Hareshwar Goswami, while speaking to the media claimed that the BP 81 has been erected at the wrong location.

He said that the BP should be erected on the right bank of Namjet Lok while contending that the BP can be fixed at a suitable place and there are lot of suitable places at the location for erecting the pillar, As per the survey agreement between the DC of Upper Chindwin District and .Manipur Political Agent Captain Maxwell in 1896, BP 81 was to be fixed 120 yards above the junction of Namjet Lok and Namjufa, he pointed out.

Hareshwar Goswami even claimed that he had already checked the spot using relevant documents, maps, records and devices and found that there are a lot of differences with the articles present today.

On the other hand, UCM president Sunil Karam expressed that the resurvey done today was not productive and has demanded the entire BPs along the Indo-Myanmar border to be re-surveyed.

Speaking to media persons at UCM office at Lamphel, Sunil Karam alleged that the Central survey team, led by the Surveyor General of India came without any necessary equipment or tools.

Sunil claimed that even if the team went to the site, they did not seem too eager to go and inspect the border pillar area.

The Central team contested the criteria on which the border pillar was erected and even mentioned that the BP was erected based on Maxwell line of 1896 but when they were asked to produce the necessary maps and tools, they were not able to do so.

Sunil continued that due to intense pressure from the local people, the Central team had to go till Namjet Lok and after reaching the said place the Surveyor General said that he would consider the situation.

The official also assured that he would send another team to carry out a resurvey after providing necessary information to the authority concerned of Myanmar, Sunil Karam said and added that UCM will observe for now but will never compromise when it comes to the territory of Manipur.

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