BJP team studies Moreh row
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 27 2010: After a team of its representatives yesterday inspected the Indo-Myanmar border area where controversy has surfaced over the missing of Border Pillar no.78, State Unit BJP has demanded that the ongoing border fencing work should be put on hold until a re-survey and resolution of the matter.

However, an official of the BRTF, which is engaged in the ongoing work of road construction and border fencing, has clarified that border fencing does not include the area from Border pillar 77 to 79 and there is no report of any controversy or dispute.

The State Unit BJP team which went to inspect the spot where Border pillar no.78 is supposed to be there but missing was led by the party president Sh Shantikumar Sharma.

BJP team members interact with Tamil leaders at the border town

Apart from visiting the border area from Border pillar no.77 to 78 and taking first hand account of the situation prevailing there, the BJP team also interacted with ADC Moreh and BRTF officials to discuss the issue.

Later talking to media-persons, Shantikumar observed that in view of the past incidents of missing Border pillar no.78 and handing over Kabow valley of Manipur, there is strong apprehension that the land area of Manipur would be lost piece by piece.

If this really happens, then the territorial integrity of Manipur would be at stake.

So a re-survey should be conducted to establish the truth and the ongoing border fencing work should be put on hold until resolution of the matter, he stated.

Shantikumar further informed that after consultation with the party's North East in-charge Chandrasekhar Rao, State unit BJP would be sending a detailed report on the border dispute so that the National vice president and party's MP Bijaya Chakraborty can raise the issue in the Parliament.

On the other hand, ADC Moreh Lunminthang Haokip said there is no official report of land dispute along the border of Manipur, though the court directive prohibiting construction of religious structures at public places have been received through the DC.

He informed that after the Survey of India completed the land survey along the Indo-Myanmar border, BRTF has begun erecting border fencing over a distance of 10 kms from border pillar 79 to 81.The work is in progress as there is no land dispute.

However, what would be the response of the Government of India to the alleged missing of border pillar no.78 could not be said.

Assistant Engineer HR Bharatiya of 25 BRTF which is engaged in the border fencing work also informed that along with completing of the survey work, erecting of 55 sub-pillars out of the total 75 to be erected have been accomplished.

Fencing pillars are being erected 10 to 15 metre within the Indian side from the border line and so far there is no report of any land dispute.

Tamil Sangam president V Shekhar who is residing in the alleged dispute site said that they have no objection as such to the border fencing but lost of any part of the land from Manipur and India would be regrettable.

He explained that Tamils came down to settle in Moreh in 1964 and they have been offering prayer at the Shri Angala Parmeshwari Shri Munishwarar temple which was constructed near border pillar 78 in 1967.In 1979, BSF came to Moreh and set up their camp and in 1982-83, fencing had been erected leaving out some portion of the Manipur land.

At that time, the public lodged a complaint but was assured that it was only for temporary.

But ultimately, the land area which was left out had been taken over by the Myanmarese authority.

Maintaining that there is strong apprehension that Manipur is going to lost some portion of its land in the ongoing border fencing as well, V Shekhar contended that the site where border pillar no.78 stands today is not the exact site and appealed for protection of the land.

Meetei Council Moreh president L Imobi said that missing of border pillar no.78 has caused strong suspension that the total land area of Manipur would shrink.

Territorial integrity of Manipur should not be sacrificed at the cost of the efforts being made by the Government of India to maintain friendly relation with the Myanmarese authority.

So a new land survey should be conducted, he also demanded.