Manipur Governor takes stock of India-Myanmar border fencing works

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Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Thursday reviewed the progress of the ongoing India-Myanmar border fencing works at a meeting with senior officials. 

A Lok Bhavan official said that the Governor, at the meeting, asked the officials to expedite the border fencing works.

Chief Secretary Rajeev Singh Thakur, Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Director General of Police Mukesh Singh, State Home Commissioner N. Ashok Kumar, and the Additional Chief Secretary were present in the high-level meeting, held at the Lok Bhavan.

Officers of the Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) and Assam Rifles, and the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul also attended the meeting.

The Additional Deputy Commissioners of Churachandpur, Chandel and Tengnoupal joined the meeting virtually.

25 BRTF Commanding Officer Colonel Dev made a detailed presentation on the progress of the ongoing border fencing works.

Five Manipur districts – Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Kamjong and Ukhrul -- share a 398-km-long unfenced international border with Myanmar.

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, in a recent NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi, had stressed the need for stronger management of the long international border, better surveillance systems and joint action against drug trafficking, arms smuggling and human trafficking. He also informed the NITI Aayog that to check illegal arms and drug smuggling across the India-Myanmar border, the Ministry of Home Affairs has completed 50 kilometres of border fencing.

Work on another 80 kilometres has started, he had said.

Manipur and Mizoram have emerged as major drug-trafficking corridors in the Northeast due to their long and porous international borders with Myanmar and their proximity to the Golden Triangle, one of the world's major illicit narcotics-producing regions. The Golden Triangle, comprising parts of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, has long been associated with the illicit production and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

The region’s proximity to India's northeastern states has posed persistent challenges for security forces and drug enforcement agencies working to curb the cross-border smuggling of narcotics. Six districts of Mizoram and five districts of Manipur share a 910-km-long international border with Myanmar, much of which remains unfenced, making the region vulnerable to cross-border smuggling and other illegal activities involving narcotics and contraband goods. The substances and items trafficked across the region include highly addictive methamphetamine tablets, heroin, foreign-made cigarettes, fertilisers and other contraband products.

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