Central team visits controversial and undemarcated areas

IMPHAL: A central team comprising of union home ministry officials along with an all party delegation visited the border town of Moreh in Manipur's Chandel district and inspected the 'controversial' and 'undemarcated areas', official sources told today. Myanmar officials had erected wooden fencing in those areas some months ago.

The central team visited the areas yesterday and comprised union joint secretary (border management) S K Mishra, director of surveyor general of India Srinivas, Chief Engineer of SOI K K Das and Border Road Organisation, Sewak project official V K Agarwal. The all-party delegation was led by deputy chief minister Gaikhangam.

Joint secretary to the union home department (north-east in charge) Shambhu Singh told newsmen at Moreh that the central team along with Manipur delegation inspected the border pillars and Holenphai area near Moreh where Myanmar officials had erected a wooden fencing. "We have to go by what had been agreed upon long ago or if the outcome is not positive, we will raise the issue at bilateral level to have a relook," Singh said.

Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had said in June this year that some border pillars were missing and state government had urged the Centre to take up the issue with the Mynmar government. Various political parties and social organisations whose representatives had visited the 'controversial' border areas had said if the erection of Mynmar continued fencing many Manipur villages would fall within its territory.