IMPHAL: Discussions have begun in Manipur over fencing of an additional 70 km of the India-Myanmar international border that lies in the state.
Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, on Sunday (September 24), initiated discussions on fencing of the additional 70 km India-Myanmar border.
The Manipur chief minister held a meeting with the officials of the border roads organisation (BRO) and “deliberated the plan to begin construction of an additional 70 km of border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border”.
“In view of the rise in illegal immigration and drugs smuggling from the neighbouring country (Myanmar), safeguarding our porous borders has become an urgent necessity,” said Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh.
Earlier, the Manipur chief minister said that the central government has “has issued a work order to BRO to fence 60 km of the Indo-Myanmar border”.
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“Our priority is to stop the illegal influx from Myanmar. For that we need immediate fencing of the border,” he said.
These discussions came just a day after Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh informed that the state government has urged the Centre to permanently freeze the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar.
According to the Free Movement Regime (FMR) agreement, which was signed in 2018 between India and Myanmar, people residing along the international border on both sides were allowed to travel 16 km into each other’s territories.
Biren Singh said that the FMR has been the biggest hurdle for the Manipur government in controlling illegal influx into the state from Myanmar.
“Because of the free movement regime, we have not been able to control influx from Myanmar,” the Manipur CM said.
“The Manipur government has requested the ministry of home affairs (MHA) to permanently freeze the free movement regime,” he added.