Imphal, February 20, 2010: Apart from pledging financial assistance on security related expenditures the Centre is closely monitoring counter-insurgency measures being taken up by the state Government.

As a part from the Centre's thrust to effectively deal with the insurgents and restore peace in the State three hovercrafts acquired by the Government of Manipur from the United States with the Central Government funding the purchase are likely to be brought here in May this year.

The amphibian machines are to be utilised in counter-insurgency operations to flush out cadres of various insurgent groups who have established hide-outs and operate from the floating bio-masses of the Loktak Lake, in Moirang which is about 40 kilometres from here.

Moreover, to discuss present law and order situation with the state Government officials, Union Home Secretary GK Pillai is scheduled to arrived here on February 26. Pillai, according to an informed source, had recently held wide ranging discussions on security issues with his counter part Brigadier General Phon swe in Myanmar's Yangoon.

The source also confirmed that the three hovercrafts purchased with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs' financial provision of Rs 5.23 crores would be put into operation from May this year.

The machines being acquired by the State Government is said to operate at high speed with capacity to carry 10-20 military personnel with equipments.The said hovercrafts would run on diesel, said the source.

It is said that during the course of several top level meetings between representatives of the Central and State government with the main focus on sanitising the region's largest fresh water lake from being transformed into a haven for disruptive elements.

The officials were also of the same view that most of the anti-establishment activities were being orchestrated from hide-outs in the Loktak Lake and as such a uninamous agreement reached to utilise the hovercrafts for effective checking of UG actions by crippling their operational centres.

The source further reminded that for maximum impact of the counter-insurgency operations in Loktak Lake and efficient handling of the machines, Loktak Protection force had been specifically raised by the Government with units of the special force already deployed at four strategic locations in the Lake's periphery.

It also underscored that increase in the frequency of counter-insurgency operations launched jointly by the police and Central security forces during the recent past is a part of the policy to weaken the UG networks and to gradually strengthen area domination policy of the Government.

The development assumes significance as the Director General of Police Y Joykumar had some days back exuded confidence of freeing the State from the scourge of insurgency.

Regarding GK Pillai's schedule to arrive here, the source said the top Home Ministry official will stay for a night and is expected to engage security officials in lengthy deliberations to chalk out concrete measures for bringing a lasting solution to the problem of insurgency.

The visit is being considered as vital and very important specially in the backdrop of the Home Secretary's meeting with the Myanmar Brigadier General, during which the focus is said to be on presence of training camps and hide-outs of UGs of Manipur in the neighbouring country.

It may be noted that apart from presence of UGs on Myanmarese soil, the State Government had been persisting with the Centre to construct fencing along the international border to check entry and exit of armed cadres.

Meanwhile, information has been received regarding a policy for deployment of atleast 5/6 battalion strong Assam Rifles personnel on the manipur side of the border, out of the total AR battalions being raised to man the porous Indo-Myanmar border.

To effectively check activities of nearly 44 armed groups operating in Manipur, plans are also afoot to construct 100 helipads along the international boundary.

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