AIZAWL: Mizoram government is making efforts to implement Protected Area Regime (PAR) following the directive of the Centre to reimpose the same in the northeastern state after 13 years of its relaxation, a senior home official said on Friday.
State home secretary Vanlalmawia said that Protected Area Permit (PAP) and Restricted Area Permits (RAP) required for foreigners visiting the state are yet to be demanded from foreigners at the lone Lengpui airport and other entry points of the state.
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He said that the government is yet to process the reinstatement of the PAR as it received the Centre’s notification notifying the reimposition of the same only on Thursday.
“We are making efforts towards the reimposition of the PAR and training for officials of Foreigner Registration Office on the matter, including issuance of permits through e-portal, was conducted on Thursday and Friday,” he said.
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Vanlalmawia said that a notification informing the general public about the reimposition of PAR will be issued if necessary.
Although PAP and RAP were relaxed for the past 13 years, foreigners entering the state used to report and register themselves at the Foreigner Registration Office manned by CID (Special Branch) of Mizoram police in Aizawl within 24 hours of their arrival in the state, he said.
The whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram, and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand are defined as protected areas.
In 2011 the Centre had relaxed the PAR from Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram to boost tourism and exempted all foreigners except Afghanistani, Pakistani and Chinese from the PAP.
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This relaxation was later extended for five years at a time, with the latest order issued in December 2022 and valid until December 2027.
However, the MHA has recently reimposed the PAR in Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland to regulate movement of foreigners amid growing security concerns arising out of influx from neighbouring countries.
On Tuesday, the MHA communicated to the Chief Secretaries of the three states, notifying them of the decision to reinstate PAR thereby lifting the relaxation after 13 years.
From now on, foreigners intending to visit Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland must seek prior permission and obtain a Protected Area Permit as mandated by the Foreigners Protected Areas Order, 1958.