IMPHAL, December 28: A delegation of the all political party team held discussion with officials of Surveyor General of India on the border fencing issue at the Chief Minister Secretariat this afternoon, around 2 pm. Chief minister Okram Ibobi, who had just arrived from New Delhi, chaired the meeting.
Besides Ibobi, the meeting was attended by three officials of the SGI, one member from the BRO, chief secretary PC Lawmkunga, principal secretary of Home, Dr J Suresh Babu, deputy chief minister Gaikhangam, convenor of the all political party, RK Anand of Congress, MLA N Biren, delegates from All India Trinamool Congress including MLA Dr I Ibohanbi, Dr N Nara of CPI, MLA Karam Shyam of Lok Janshakti Party, and representatives of CPM, MSCP, All India Forward Block, Shiv Sena, NPF. There were no representations from the MPP and the BJP.
At the present juncture, the work of the fencing is being carried out by the BRO/BRTF and had completed a stretch of 3.2 kilometres. Arrangements have already been made to construct another stretch of 6.5 kilomteres, after it was tabled at the meeting today by the BRO representative.
However, according to the directive of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the ongoing works have been halted totally whereas preparatory works for the construction of an Integrated Check Post (ICP) along the Moreh border is still continuing. Mention may be made that the Myanmarese civil bodies have challenged the construction of the ICP by protesting on December 24.
The resolution passed by the meeting held today at the CM secretariat on the border issue concluded after two hours of discussion on the un-settled border pillars and the subsequent problems faced by the citizens living along the border.
The meeting had resolved to request the Government of India to settle the nine un-settled border pillars along the Manipur segment of the Indo-Myanmar border immediately with Myanmar authorities.
That it will be requested to conduct a joint survey in consultation with the Myanmar authorities to settle the border between border pillar 86 to 88, as some of the village (inhabited by Maring tribe) have fallen into the territory of Myanmar after the recent survey.
That the Union government shall be approached to maintain status quo (halt of fencing works) and ensure that no Indian territory is compromised in the process of border fencing. In this regard, all the political parties resolved that the state government shall forward the resolution to the Prime Minister, Minister of External Affairs and Minister of Home Affairs.