Troubled Highway

By Geoffery *

First phase of Look East Policy (LeP) was launched in 1995. Now it is in Phase II with expanded definition of east to include from Australia to China and East Asia. India had entered into Mekong Ganga cooperation with five South East Asian nations (Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand) and other pillar of LeP is BIMSTEC (littoral states of Bay of Bengal Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmasr, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand).

For LeP to deliver optimal results North East Region (NeR) of our country has a critical role to play. This region is resource (both human and material) rich but less explored and not assessed to the level it deserves.

To quote Mani Shankar Aiyar Union Minister for DoneR "NeR is like California of 1848. Just as California's economy boomed with the start of Gold rush in 1849, a similar economic boom is just going to happen in this region". Will this prophecy come true? How and when is to seen?

The main input for this to be successful has to come from optimal use and optimal up gradation of existing road and rail links. Plans are in place but execution is a nightmare. In whole array Manipur (Jeweled state) is a spring board that has to make key contribution.

The state is principally connected to rest of the country by three National Highways (NHs): NH-39, NH-53 and NH-150 totaling 965 Kms of road through the state. The discussion is restricted to NH-39 that is the life line of Manipur.

It starts from Numaligarh ( in Assam) passes through important towns of Nagaland (Dimapur- a commercial hub, Kohima- a power hub) and Manipur (Senapati- a commercial town and Imphal- a commercial and power hub before ending at Moreh).

The terminus of the highway is a place where millions of rupee trade (both legal and illegal) is undertaken everyday. It is a battle ground of Indian Insurgent Groups (on either side of the border) for bigger share of the pie.

Moreh has also been slated to be upgraded to Land Custom Station along with other three (Dawki in Meghalaya, Sutrakandi in Assam and Agartala in Tripura) in the region.

The life line of jeweled state is constricted with negative influence of various outfits all along. They have carved out their own areas of influence for illegal tax collection from travelers, buses and trucks plying on the road leading to inconveniences of the unfortunate people.

From Khatkhati to Mao (a border town of Nagaland) the stretch is controlled by NSCN groups. Even beyond Mao to Imphal (109 Kms in Manipur) the NSCN (IM) controls, due to Naga dominated areas of Senapati district in Manipur. Imphal to Moreh (110 Kms) is divided among two dozen outfits of Manipur.

NSCN (IM) being the oldest outfit has a well oiled set up to collect voluntary tax (as they call it) e.g. employment tax (@ 2% of pay p.m.), transport tax, Immigration tax etc. Probably the rates are likely to undergo a change in the new budget proposal the out fit will present very soon.

The author happens to talk to one of the traders in Dimapur and enquired about the situation after 1997. The reply that shocked the author was "it was better before the agreement because demand notes were few and for smaller amounts and there was scare of law and order machinery unlike now when it happens unhindered". It is nothing new when home minister of the state (supposed to provide flawless law and order) calls it 'normal crimes'.

The major portion of the highway is controlled by NSCN (IM). The chief minister of Manipur was not wrong when he made a statement in Manipur state assembly replying to motion (2007) called by opposition member Oktram Joy of Manipur People's Party that "illegal imposition of tax by NSCN (IM) on transportation in Manipur is a cause of serious concern."

He should have also highlighted the character of two dozen UG outfits operating in Manipur. The highway is a ramshackle and at number of occasions Senapati District Student Association (SDSA) has called for bandhs for improving status of the highway.

Violence along the highway is another cause of concern for the investors, contractors, small time business people and all alike. As per statistics of Institute of conflict management, from 2001 to 2007 there had been 384 and 1539 insurgent related fatalities in Nagaland and Manipur respectively.

As per SATP portal Nagaland witnessed 145 and Manipur witnessed 489 fatalities in 2008. Maximum percentages of these have been in and around Imphal and Dimapur towns. There is an urgent need to fire the ceasefire i.e. state governments need to implement all encompassing effective means to check illegal activities of the outfits that have entered into an agreement of ceasefire or suspension of operations.

Otherwise the dream of linking India with SE Asia through Manipur, a natural process of Globalization and regional cooperation may be over delayed or may not come true.