Traders in Moreh allege AR harasses good carriers
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 17 2011: Alleging that 42 Assam Rifles at Bongyang and 29 Assam Rifles at Tengnoupal is giving unwarranted harassment to goods carriers on the Imphal-Moreh route, the Border Trade & Chamber of Commerce, Moreh today in a memorandum, drew the attention of the Chief Minister to their grievances.

The chamber in its memorandum signed by president V Shekhar and general secretary S Surinder Singh Patheja of the Border Trade & Chamber of Commerce, Moreh lamented the lack of attention by the authority to the problems it faces.

Trucks ferrying goods for the local market at Moreh are being stopped at check posts of Assam Rifles along the Imphal-Moreh section of NH 39.Drivers were ordered to offload the goods, packed cases and cartons of goods are forcibly broken for checking, thereby damaging goods.

Sometimes goods are even lost in the process of checking, the traders body alleged citing that recently, on June 3, a goods truck (UP 52S-2933) was detained by 29 AR at Tengnoupal check post and handed over to Tengnoupal police.

The Border Trade & Chamber of Commerce, Moreh approached the commanding officer of the local unit of Assam Rifles stationed at Moreh and apprised him of the problems faced by the traders, but, it seems that our pleas have fallen on deaf ears, the memorandum said.

This issue is affecting trade at Moreh, the memorandum said reminding the great pains being taken by the authorities of both state Commerce and Industries of Department and and Union Ministry of Commerce and Industries New Delhi, and the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to develop and increase the volume of trade through Moreh.

They stated that various meetings of all trading agencies of Manipur and other places have been held at regular intervals in Moreh and Imphal.

The main agenda of these meetings have always been to find and improve ways and means to boost trade at Moreh.

"Moreh is strategically very important for development of trade and the development of Manipur.

The Prime Minister of India in his Look East Policy had clearly stressed the need to develop this aspect," they reminded the CM.

In 1995, the then Minister of Commerce & Industries P Chidambaram had signed an agreement with Myanmar.

Both countries had agreed to trade which each other by land route from Moreh.

This was a historic land mark for the people of Moreh and Manipur.

Relations and trade improved and flourished between the neighbouring countries India and Myanmar Again in 2000, the Ministry of Commerce & Industries of India issued another directive to give more impetus to trade.

A normal trade agreement was signed with Myanmar giving the traders of Moreh more width to deal with the local customers of Myanmar, Tamu to be precise.

The government is at present going to construct an Integrated Check Post at Moreh.

NH 39 and the town roads are being improved.

There are plans to give a new face lift to Moreh town, all this is being done simply because the state government and the Centre is confident that Moreh will very soon become the hub of business and will be one of the biggest revenue earners for the exchequer.

All these efforts will be possible only if safe and uninterrupted passage is given to goods entering Moreh town, the memorandum asserted and added that the business community of Moreh have registered shops.

They are paying all applicable taxes and are law abiding citizens of the state of Manipur.

"We should not be considered as smugglers and treated as such.

The business traders of Moreh must be given the same considerations as is given to traders in other parts of the state and country," the memorandum of the traders at the border town complained, reiterating their appeal to the CM to address to their grievances.

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