Routine work being carried out along Indo-Myanmar border: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) today said no border pillar along the India-Myanmar boundary in the Manipur sector have been shifted into the Indian territory, amid tension over border issues in some areas of the north eastern state.

MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said work on construction of subsidiary pillars along certain portion of the "settled" boundary between India and Myanmar has been carried out in Manipur sector by both the countries to apprise the local residents about the exact alignment of the border.

Prohibitory orders were imposed yesterday in some areas in Moreh sub-division of Manipur following unrest over reports of alleged shifting of an India-Myanmar border pillar into the Indian territory.

"We have come across media reports stating that certain boundary pillars in the Manipur sector of the India-Myanmar international boundary have been allegedly shifted. These reports are completely baseless and unsubstantiated," Kumar said, in response to a question on the issue.

He said that sector of the international boundary is settled and there is no confusion about its alignment.

"Recently, routine survey work has been carried out jointly by the Indian and Myanmarese survey departments during which work on construction of subsidiary pillars in between already settled main boundary pillars 81 and 82 along zero line, that is, agreed and settled international boundary, has also been undertaken," the MEA spokesperson said.

He said this has been done with the objective of apprising the local residents on both sides of the border of the exact alignment of the international boundary and the Manipur government has been involved in the entire exercise.

"This work is in consonance with the provisions of the India-Myanmar Boundary Agreement of 1967, to which both governments are fully committed," Kumar said.