Imphal, April 18 2010: After conducting a spot inspection of the ongoing work to put up border fencing 10 to 15 metres inside the territory of Manipur from the international boundary separating India and Myanmar, the United Committee Manipur (UCM) has decided to fight for every inch of the State's land.

A detailed report of the spot assessment would be sent to the relevant authorities including the Prime Minister.

A 16 member team of the UCM led by its president Sapamcha Dilipkumar visited the border areas and made a spot assessment of the disappearance of border pillar number 78 and the ongoing border fencing work.

The inspection team also included secretary general W Second, finance secretary BM Yaima and information and public relations secretary Kh Nilamani.

The team claimed they were able to confirm that a large tract of the State's territory would be lost if the Government goes ahead with the ongoing work of putting up border fencing from border pillar number 77 to 81 .

Speaking to media persons, Sapamcha Dilipkumar said that the disappearance of border pillar number 78 and the border fencing work being taken up 10 to 15 metres inside the State's territory would result in considerable loss of land. This is not acceptable to the UCM, he asserted.

The ongoing effort to put up border fencing for a length about 10 kms from border pillar number 78 to 8 would seriously disturb the territorial integrity of Manipur.

He demanded that survey of the border fencing should be conducted afresh.

Observing that the Government of India responded in befitting manner to attempts made by neighbouring countries to grab lands of Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir, the UCM president asked as to why New Delhi is scheming to gift away Manipur's land to Myanmar.

He went on to question if there is any hidden agenda behind the Govt of India's design.

Alleging thatNew Delhi may not be concerned over the shrinking of Manipur's territory, Dilipkumar asserted that the people of Manipur still grief over the 'gifting' Kabow Valley to Myanmar which is more than 700 square miles in area and which belonged to Manipur.

Under such circumstances, the people of Manipur cannot afford to lose more land for the sake of border fencing.

Stating that the UCM is gravely concerned with the Government's initiative, Dilipkumar said that the UCM, together with community leaders of Moreh and surrounding areas, would submit memorandum containing detail reports about the matter to relevant authorities including the Prime Minister.

Tamil Sangam president KBS Maniam who accompanied the UCM inspection team said that the Tamils of Moreh area have been offering prayers at the temple built near border pillar number 78 since 1969 .

Then, troops of BSF arrived at Moreh 1979 .

They opened a camp there and put up fencing around their camp, inside the territory of Manipur but away from the international boundary.

Even as the people complained about the fencing, the BSF authority said that the fencing was only a temporary measure.

The area left off beyond the fencing put up by BSF was ultimately taken over by Burmese authority, Manian said.

Decrying the new initiative to put up border fencing by sacrificing considerable size of Manipur's territory, Manian appealed to the Governmen t of India to protect Manipur's territory.

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