Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 11, 2010:
Amid report of miscreants stealing 13 bronze name plates from the Imphal World War II cemetery, an official team of Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is scheduled to arrive here during its annual inspection tour of similar memorial sites located in some North Eastern States.
The UK-based CWGC team including its vice chairman, director (outer areas) along with horticulture and works managers are likely to arrive at Imphal on February 20 during which conditions of two imphal cemeteries under its maintenance ambit would be assessed, informed the Commission's North East Region Manager Salew Pfotte today.
Salew, a State native told this report that war cemeteries of Dewlahland and Hatta are two such memorials in the region whose maintenance is being borne by the CWGC along with one each in Nagaland, Digboi and Guwahati.
The four member team is supposed to begin the inspection tour next week, the manager added.
Regarding the stolen nameplates, he confided that on intimation the CWGC has approved relevant initiative for installing new ones.
"I have already placed the order to instal the new plates to our London office and I hope the same will be arriving within three to four months," Salew added.
It is informed that about 40 days back 13 bronze name plates were stolen from the Imphal World War II cemetery, Hatta and inspite of the police registering an FIR on the theft there is no report of any arrest so far.
ever since the incident came to light gardeners at both the memorial sites have been put on high alert to foil similar cases.