In order to check influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, a task force has been formed in Lunglei district.
The task force committee – Lunglei District Level Special Task Force Committee – has been formed to create a mechanism for identifying and deporting undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants from the border areas.
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The task force committee will also help setting up of new check points at strategic points.
During a meeting held recently, the task force committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Lunglei district, Lalzarmawii, deliberated on the issue of illegal Chakma immigration from Bangladesh to India at Lunglei city.
Several department heads, Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, top police officers and leaders of civil societies were present at the meeting.
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The BSF officials who were present at the meeting said, illegal immigration through the porous Indo-Bangla border could be prevented by speeding up the fencing work in the international border.
“Apart from the border fencing, better surface communication and creation of more checkpoints at strategic locations is of utmost importance,” said the Commandant of the BSF Battalion stationed at Lunglei, who was present at the meeting.
One of the major problems faced by Mizoram, like any other Northeastern States, is lack of proper mechanism to check entry of immigrants, especially those coming from Bangladesh.
The failure on the part of the government to keep a check on illegal Chakma migrants has erupted problems after problems in the State. The demand, particularly from NGOs, for setting up a proper mechanism to check the influx of Chakmas has been a long-pending demand.
The task force committee unanimously decided that any Indian document for the Chakmas should only be issued after multiple cross-checks to avoid any official documentation to illegal immigrants.
Lunglei Superintendent of Police (SP) J Lalthafamkima said enhancement of the strength of police personnel was needed and that Mizoram government has already sanctioned setting up of police entry check point at Kawrpuichhuah near the Indo-Bangladesh border.
“To enhance checking of illegal immigration, a sub-divisional level task force was constituted under the aegis of Tlabung sub-division, the committee has made several recommendations regarding illegal immigration,” Lunglei SP said.
While there were only 198 Chakmas in Mizoram, according to 1901 census, the figure of Chakma population shot up to 96972 in 2011 census with a growth of 36.04 per cent.
The NGOs in Mizoram are convinced that the decadal growth rate of the Chakmas is beyond the normal rate of human reproduction and are of the conclusion that there has been an unchecked influx of Chakmas from across the border.