What’s Happening at the India-Myanmar Border? Key Discussions Unveiled!

High-Level Meeting in Manipur

Imphal: The Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, along with Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, convened a significant meeting to address the ongoing border fencing project along the India-Myanmar frontier and the prevailing law and order situation in the state, as reported by officials on Tuesday.

According to a Raj Bhavan representative, the high-level discussions took place late Monday night, centering on critical matters affecting the state, particularly the fencing efforts along the 398 km India-Myanmar border adjacent to Manipur and the overall security landscape.

The meeting focused on evaluating the progress of the border fencing initiative and the law and order conditions within the state. Key topics included maintaining public order and developmental initiatives.

An official noted that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) intensified the fencing operations near Moreh town in the Tengnoupal district of Manipur last year, with the work being executed in phases.

This border fencing project is part of ‘Project Sewak’ under the Border Roads Task Force (BRTF), which is also responsible for road construction in Nagaland and Manipur.

The discussions on Monday night also encompassed relief and rehabilitation strategies for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have been residing in various relief camps since ethnic violence erupted in the northeastern state on May 3, 2023.

The meeting reviewed the ongoing relief efforts for IDPs in both the hilly and valley regions.

A thorough evaluation was conducted regarding the current facilities available to IDPs, the status of rehabilitation initiatives, and the long-term plans for their permanent resettlement.

The state government has set up over 300 relief camps across Imphal valley and hilly areas to accommodate 59,415 individuals, including men, women, and children, displaced due to the ethnic unrest that began two years ago.

Attendees of this crucial meeting included Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Kumar Deka, Joint Secretary (North East) from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, Security Advisor K Singh, Commissioner (Home) N. Ashok Kumar, the Governor's Secretary, Deputy Commissioners from various districts, and other senior administrative and security officials.

Home Secretary Govind Mohan, accompanied by Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Kumar Deka, arrived in Manipur on Monday and visited two relief camps in Churachandpur district to oversee the welfare of the displaced individuals affected by the violence.

Additionally, the Home Secretary inaugurated two creche-cum-children’s libraries and a women’s tailoring program, both designed to empower and support women and children living in the relief camps.