Central team inspect border pillar in Manipur

A central team today inspected a border pillar bordering Myanmar near Kwatha Khunou village in Manipur in the wake of a controversy that it was allegedly shifted inside the state by the neighbouring country, official sources said.

The three-member team, led by Surveyor General of India Lt Gen Girish Kumar, comprises Joint Secretary (Border Management) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, J A V Dharma Reddy and Joint Secretary (Bangladesh and Myanmar) Ministry of External Affairs, Sripriya Rangnathan.

The team, which came yesterday, surveyed the border pillar number 81 which locals and several social organisations alleged was shifted three km inside Manipur, the sources said.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on July 12 had said the India-Myanmar international boundary remained "untouched and unaffected".

"The government, in view of public apprehension, has written to the Centre to conduct a field visit to check if pillar no 81 at Kwatha Khunou in Tengnoupal district stands at the actual spot as per the 1967 agreement," he said.

Tengnoupal Deputy Commissioner Tombikanta, after visiting the border area last month, claimed that the border pillar 81 had been shifted three km inside the Indian territory. His claim found favour with local people, several social bodies as well as political parties.

The Ministry of External Affairs, taking note of the allegations, had issued a statement on July 8, claiming that the allegation was "baseless and unsubstantiated".

During a recent visit to the site, Manipur Revenue Minister Karam Shyam also said some sections of "political rivals" were portraying a wrong picture.