Mizoram’s main opposition Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) on Monday asked the State Government to bring in and deploy more police personnel along the inter-state and international borders to relieve volunteers of village task forces.
A statement issued by the ZPM said the State Government has a total of eight police armed battalions of which one is in neighbouring Assam.
It said personnel of the remaining seven armed battalions should be deployed exclusively along the state borders with Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Myanmar and Bangladesh and should strictly follow the Centre’s guidelines while checking in and out movement of vehicles.
“The government should ask the Centre for deployment of security forces or paramilitary forces along the borders if the state police have man power crunch,” the statement signed by the party president Lalliansawta said.
Mizoram shares 284 km inter-state border with Assam, Manipur and Tripura.
It is also sandwiched between Myanmar and Bangladesh with which shares 722 km international border.
ZPM said that volunteers of village or local level task forces, who are guarding the borders, should be relieved of the arduous task.
Village or local level task forces are keeping vigil in at least 18 entry points along the Mizoram-Assam border and several entry points along the state borders with Manipur, Tripura, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
The party said all village or local level task forces should instead be allowed to guard their respective villages or localities and must thoroughly be briefed about standard of operating procedure (SOP) framed by the State Government to ensure uniform operation during lockdown.
The main opposition party also urged the people to understand the financial crisis face by the State Government and not bring burden to it.
It appealed to all concerned parents and families to send money to their children and relatives, who are stranded in different parts of the country, instead of seeking help only from the State Government.