State Govt falters on boundary commission
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 30 2017: Even though the State's coalition Government led by BJP announced on the floor of the State Assembly during the monsoon session to constitute a boundary commission to resolve all inter-district boundary disputes, the State Government is still unable to put its own announcement into action .

A Cabinet meeting held on December 8 last year created seven new districts in addition to the existing nine districts for administrative convenience.

A gazette notification was issued to this effect the next day .

On July 26 this year, Revenue Minister Karam Shyam announced during the monsoon session of the State Assembly that a boundary commission would be set up soon after the Assembly session was over in order to demarcate boundaries of the new districts and resolve all inter-district boundary disputes .

Notably, the coalition Government led by BJP repeatedly stated that they would not revoke the order which created seven new districts even though it was issued by the previous Government .

However, many quarters have expressed strong resentment against the Government's failure to set up a boundary commission even after three months of the Revenue Minister's announcement .

Even before the seven new districts were created, there were more than 140 villages whose districts were ambiguous .

Some experts said that most of the villages where district boundaries are contested are located at the intersection of highlands and valley .

After collecting and perusing all relevant documents and records from the district administration concerned and SDOs, the boundary commission should take a final decision and the Government should take up appropriate actions accordingly, they said .

As for the seven districts created anew, their boundaries need not yet embroiled in controversy as the sub-divisions which should come under them have been defined well .

It is only logical that all the villages located within a sub-division must come under the district to which the sub-division belongs.

It would be wrong to assume that creation of new districts would necessarily breed boundary disputes, they said.

Regardless of whether boundary disputes are already there or the disputes are bred by the creation of new districts, if there is any report of boundary dispute between two or more villages, the boundary commission should intervene promptly and ensure that inter-village conflicts are resolved or ameliorated at the earliest .

The State Government's stoic silence on the question of setting up a boundary commission has peeved many quarters .

The boundary commission should be headed by a retired High Court Judge and its members should include Additional Chief Secretary/Administrative Secretary (Home), Commissioner/Administrative Secretary (Revenue) and Commissioner/Administrative Secretary (Tribal Affairs and Hills).

This was laid down very clearly in the gazette notification issued on December 9 last year .

Apart from creating seven new districts namely; Jiribam, Pherzawl, Kangpokpi, Kakching, Kamjong, Tengnoupal and Noney, offices of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mao and Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jessami were also opened anew for administrative convenience.

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