Our Correspondent
Imphal, July 28 (EMN): In order to check illegal migrants entering from neighbouring countries, government of Manipur had planned to set up two check posts in Churachandpur and Jiribam districts in the state. Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh said the government has considered the matter seriously while replying to a question by opposition Congress MLA RK Imo in the ongoing assembly on Friday.
“The proposal to set up a check post in Churachandpur and another one over the existing one in Jiribam was discussed during review meetings.” However he did not elaborate on exact location for Churachandpur. A foreigners’ check post to check the inbound foreigners was set up at Moreh, the border commercial town, 110 km south of here, in 1968. However it was re-designated as immigration check post in November 2014 and not its staff position has been strengthened, Biren informed the house .The border fencing between border pillar 78 to 81 (at Moreh) are yet to complete due to certain factors. Similarly three foreigners’ check posts were established at Imphal airport in Imphal West district, Mao in Senapati district and Jiribam in Jiribam district and they have been functioning since January 2011, he added. The staff strength at Imphal airport has also been strengthened.
Expressing serious concern over the issue, he said the state government has firm stand to protect the interest of the indigenous population in the state. He also appealed to the students’ community who are demanding to regulate inflow of illegal migrants, to discuss the matter before launching any agitation and approach the central authority in public interest.
Manipur had also been witnessing students’ agitation including the demand for restricting non-locals from contesting in state elections and reserving 8 assembly constituencies for indigenous people since the last few days. The said constituencies are Wangkhei, Kangpokpi, Jiribam, Thangmeiband, Sagolband, Sugnu, Bishnupur and Uripok. To raise the demands, a group of students staged sit in demonstration while others under the Kangleipak Students’ Association had even tried to storm the ongoing assembly complex here on Thursday.
Meanwhile replying to a question by opposition member K Meghachandra on the present status of the three bills which were passed earlier in the state assembly in connection introduction of Inner Line Permit System in Manipur, Chief Minister said the central government intimated that the assent to bill namely ‘The Protection of Manipur People Bill No 16 of 2015’ was withheld by the President.
In the case of remaining two Bills namely- The Manipur Land Revenue AND Land reforms (7th amendment Bill No 17 of 2015) and The Manipur Shops and Establishments (2nd amendment Bill No 18 of 2015, these are still pending with the central government, he added.
