UCM, AMSU team opens trade centre at Wanglee
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 06 2015 : A joint team of United Committee Manipur (UCM) and All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) returned to Imphal on Tuesday after opening an informal cross-border trade centre called "Wanglee Trade Centre" at Wanglee under Ukhrul district's Kasom Khullen subdivision and visiting the Border Pillar No-9 along Indo-Myanmar border to oversee it.

The cross-border trade centre was opened on May 3 by the team which visited the Border Pillar No-9 on May 4.A media team accompanied the team during the visit.

Krungket Trade Centre Committee chairman Ngamshing told the media persons that erection of fence on the Border Pillar No-9 could disrupt import and export business of the area.

He suggested that both the State and Central Governments should send their respective official representatives to the international border area before taking up the fence construction work there.

"A main gate on the border area will certainly help in maintaining cooperation between the villagers residing on the Manipur sector of the border and Myanmar side," Kashung Bungtung resident Ngamshing added.

UCM president Elangbam Johnson told the media team that the Border Pillar No-9 located at Lok under Wanglee is yet to be fenced as of now.

The fence construction has already covered the area extending from Moreh to Kontong, he added.

Johnson admitted that certain controversies are there in determining the exact position of the border pillars on the Indo-Myanmar border where the villagers have been residing for the last 80-100 years.

He assured the villagers that the team would put pressure on the Government to settle on the controversial pillars.

The UCM leader also promised that the Government would be urged to fulfill the shortages of Wanglee village.

Johnson claimed that every border issue comes up whenever the Government plans to build border fence on border areas.

During the inauguration of the informal cross-border trade centre Wanglee chief T Dontak expressed hope that business activities on the border would enhance significantly with the opening of the centre.

He called on the State Government to take steps to improve the present condition of water supply, electricity and education systems in the border village.

Chiefs of neighbouring villages of Monthoram, Nambashi and Kashung were also present during the function.

For the newly opened trade centre, the UCM donated a solar lamp while AMSU extended financial aid.

Trade activities at the centre began with putting up of some bags of 'chahao-cheng' ( black rice) and potatoes on sale.

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