Pallel, December 23 2008: BRIGADIER BALBIR Singh, Commander of 26 Sector Assam Rifles today said that civil administration has started reaching the Somtal area, once the liberated zone in Manipur's Chandel district, after army cleared the area from the hands of the insurgents.

The operations in Somtal area was terminated in January this year.

After a long gap, Civil police have started to land at places like Old Somtal, Joupi and Khengjoi areas, he claimed.

"This is just the beginning" the Brigadier said adding that even the ginger cultivation has been started in a large scale in and around the Somtal area this time.

When the various militant groups including UNLF (United National Liberation Front) operates in those areas, the villagers could not cultivate ginger properly as transportation was their main hurdle, the officer informed.

Interacting with mediapersons on the sidelight of displaying a large scale arms and ammunitions recovered and seized from various parts of the border district in the last 15 days at the sector headquarter today, Brigadier Balbir further said that a Primary Health Centre and another Block Development Office were also inaugurated at Khangbarol village along Tengnoupal-New Somtal road and Khengjoi village three months ago.

Besides road surveys are on for the construction and up-gradation of the roads in the interior areas of this border district.

"We're ensuring that the necessary requirement of water supply would be provided" he said.

On December 12, troops of 44 Assam Rifles recovered one G 3 Rifle along with a 10 round loaded magazine,302 AK, 39 rounds of .32 ammunition,10 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, one live lethod, 5 detonator, one Kenwood radio set with 2 antenna, 3 kgs of explosive slab from Somtal area while troops of 20 Assam Rifles thwarted the attempts of militant cadres to smuggle arms and ammunition to Imphal valley at New Chajol near Sajik Tampak and recovered one M-16 rifles a 65 round loaded magazine,one 9 mm pistil with 6 rounds loaded magazine,one country made AK series rifle with 11 rounds loaded magazine, two grenades, one Kenwood tac phone on December 21 .

The same troop chasing a vehicle (Di Tata DI No MN 01 K 4371) at Thamnapokpi along Imphal-Moreh road on the same day and overpowered the occupants of the vehicles and seized one Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launcher, 11 RPG bombs, 10 charge for RPG bombs, 11 chinese grenades,38 lethode bombs, 2035 assorted ammunitions,1960 numbers of 5.56 ammunition with Royal Thai Army Plant mkt lot No MN 193 RTA, 75 number of 12 bore ammunition,16 empty cases of AK and M 16 rifles.

"If these arms and ammunitions goes to Imphal valley, you can imagine the insecurity of the common men", Brigadier felt.

When asked about checking further arms smuggling along the border, he said "they (militants) take advantage of the porous border and hilly terrain along with thick jungle besides there is no proper fence along the Indo-Myanmar border" and promised "however we'll check the arms smuggling along our jurisdiction".

Though,there are three to four battalions under the respective Assam Rifles sectors in Manipur,26 Sector is having around 7 Battalions to properly guard 165 km stretch of Indo-Myanmar international border.

When asked about their relationship with their Myanmar counterparts,the Brigadier Balbir said,the relationship is "enormous" adding however talks were held regularly at the diplomatic levels.

The commander also made it clear that there is an "excellent" change after the tripartite talk was initiated between the state,centre and kuki rebel groups operating in the Chandel district.

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