Manipur Governor visits India-Myanmar border, reviews border fencing work

Imphal, Jan 10 (IANS) Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Friday visited Moreh town, along the India-Myanmar border, and took stock of the overall functioning of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) and ongoing border fencing work.

Officials of the Land Ports Authority of India briefed the Governor about the functioning of the ICP and trade between India and Myanmar.

A Raj Bhavan official said that the Governor interacted with leaders from civil society organisations (CSOs) to understand their grievances.

Bhalla, also former Union Home Secretary, also met with different business and community leaders of Moreh town including the Border Trade Chamber of Commerce, the Tamil Sangam, the Manipur Muslim Council, and the Gurkha Samaj and heard their issues and concerns, the official said.

The various community leaders emphasised the hardships they have faced due to the suspension of all cross-border business activities since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Governor also visited the Indo-Myanmar Friendship Gates and then went to Govajang village where he was briefed by the Commanding Officer of the 25 Battalion of the Border Road Task Force (BRTF) about the ongoing fencing works along the India-Myanmar border.

The Governor distributed gifts to Border Road Organisation officials and the local workforce and encouraged them.

After taking over the charge as Governor on January 3, Bhalla, on his maiden tour, visited Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts on January 7 and during his interaction with various civil society organisations appealed to the leaders to work collaboratively with the administration in peace-building efforts.

He also visited various relief camps in Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts and interacted with displaced people, who have been staying in the relief camps since the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur in May 2023.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has stepped up the work of India-Myanmar border fencing near Moreh town in Tengnoupal district. Four northeastern states share a 1,643 km border with Myanmar of which 398 km is in Manipur. The entire 1,643 km porous India-Myanmar border, known for the smuggling of arms, ammunition and narcotics, would be fenced at a cost of Rs 31,000 crore.

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