Imphal, August 12: Highlighting the communal tension generated by the peace talk between the Centre and the NSCN (IM) amongst the people of North East, representatives of the North East Peoples' Organisation met Union Minister Oscar Fernandes and urged him to take up appropriate steps to counter the tension.

Oscar Fernandes is heading the Group of Ministers constituted to hold parleys with the NSCN (IM).

During the meeting with Fernandes yesterday at about 10.30 pm at Sadar Patel Bhawan at New Delhi, the NEPO team made it clear that they are not against the peace process but are opposed to any design to whip up communal tension in the region due to the demand of the IM group to bring all Naga inhabited areas under one adminis- trative unit.

Three States of the North East have made a clear stand against such a demand, informed the NEPO team to Fernandes. Even though the NSCN (IM) is engaged in a cease fire pact with the Centre, that has not stopped it from extorting lakhs of rupees from the vehicles plying on NH-39 at Dimapur informed the NEPO representatives and urged Fernandes to stop such activities.

The NEPO team also urged the Union Minister to shift all the godowns located at Dimapur to Jiribam and also to provide adequate security along NH-39, NH-53 and NH-150.During the meeting Fernandes assured the team that efforts have been taken up on a war footing to develop NH-53 and suggested that a viable alternative route be charted out with an eye on the future.