Uneasy calm over ambiguous inter-district boundary
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: November 08, 2022 -

WITH all the hilly areas in the state either prohibited for permanent residency by the Meetei community, it is but natural for the tribal populace to perceive hillocks adjoining the valley districts as legitimate site for their settlement as well.

Moreover, in view of the remaining non-inhabited hill areas preserved as reserved forest areas, the only space left for the Meetei community is in the plains, which ironically is open for settlement by all the communities.

Such contradiction is the primary reason why the valley-based organisations have not only been raising objections against expansion of the tribal settlement areas but also questioning the intention of giving hill district tag to new villages set up in areas previously referred to or considered as falling under the jurisdiction of the valley district concerned.

As of now, there has been no vocal reaction from tribal organisations against the recent demands by some valley-based civil societies that the government must maintain status quo of district boundaries pending formal process for demarcation.

A day after non-tribal organisations alleged bid to include some tribal villages from Jiribam district into the neighbouring Tamenglong and Pherzawl districts, a joint meeting of CSO leaders, social activists and politicians held on Sunday reaffirmed the resolutions taken on October 16 to protect the boundary of Kakching district.

These developments indicate growing frustration among some concerned valley organisations over steady increase in the number of tribal settlement areas within their vicinity and rebranding the newly occupied land, which had been under the administrative jurisdiction ofthe valley districts.

Both the developments in Jiribam and Kakching districts leave nothing to doubt about uneasy calm in existence between the bordering valley and hill districts, and which the government cannot brush aside.

Seriousness of the issue could also be gauged from Pallel-based organisations commending the Kakching district administration for pulling down institutional signboards and other signages found describing the structures as Chandel district.

The Kakching meeting held on Sunday in particular underscored that in-spite of chief minister N Biren issuing instruction to all the deputy commissioners to resolve inter-district boundary disputes, they want concrete actions at the ground level in order to ensure that no unwanted incidents crop up due to overlapping of district boundaries and administrative oversight.

Notably, the Kakching organisations have commended the district administration for recently carrying out signboard removal drives and initiating due process to maintain clarity on administrative jurisdiction.

Having expressed their anxiousness and suggestions, the district level organisations would be definitely eager to see the government take up necessary measures to clear any issues swiftly, for any sort of inordinate delay will only complicate the situation, especially as the tribal organisations cannot be expected to remain non-reactive when their people settling nearby the plains are feeling insecure.

Moreover, as there is strong possibility that elements inimical to harmonious existence of the ethnic communities might try to spew venom taking undue advantage of the growing restiveness, it is imperative that the government do the needful to lay down in clear terms boundaries of adjoining districts and put into action its decision to restrict establishment of new villages.