Manipur has urged the Centre to re-survey some areas along Indo-Myanmar border in Chandel district following allegation that a section of it was likely to be ceded during the ongoing construction of border fencing, official sources said today.
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had recently written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde the necessity to re-survey the area as some border pillars were missing near the border town of Moreh, sources said.
"Without the knowledge of the state government, the Centre cannot cede state territory to Myanmar," Ibobi Singh was quoted as saying during an official function at his office on July 31 in response to the allegation by some opposition parties that some areas were likely to be "sacrificed" during the ongoing border fencing.
Ibobi Singh had also said during the assembly session in June last that some border pillars were missing or covered with thick grass near border town of Moreh over the years.
All major political parties including CPI, Manipur People's Party, JD(U) had in separate statements some days ago alleged that the state government had failed to safeguard the state's border areas and interests of the border villagers during the ongoing construction of border fencing by the Border Road Task Force (BRTF) personnel.
They accused the Centre and state government of trying to please the Myanmar government by sacrificing border areas of Manipur in the name of checking of infiltration of militants and prevention of smuggling at the Indo-Myanmar border.
Some social organisations including Rural Development Federation and various tribal bodies alleged about 100 villages were likely to be included in Myanmar after completion of the border fencing at Indo-Myanmar border.
