GUWAHATI: Border fencing work along the Indo Myanmar border has run into rough weather following complaints by the neighbouring country that the project has violated norms agreed upon earlier.
The Home Ministry has decided to send a team to hold discussions with their Myanmarese counterparts to sort out the difference that has cropped up and facilitate smooth completion of the project. The fencing once put in place will be instrumental to check drug smuggling, gun running and other cross border crimes.
In 2006, a decision was taken by New Delhi to fence 14 kms of the porous border at Moreh in Manipur considered a hub of cross border crimes. Subsequently, a survey was completed and the project initiated two years ago. The fence has been erected 10 metres away from the international boundary.
An official said Myanmar has objected to fencing between border pillars 79-81 near Moreh. “They are of the view that fencing has encroached into their territory which however is not true. The matter would be sorted out amicably,” the official pointed out, adding that a meeting between officials of both the countries would be held on June 14.
Though the project proposes to cover only 14 kms at Moreh, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh have been demanding erection of a fence along the entire stretch of their borders with Myanmar. While Manipur shares 398 kms with the neighbour, Arunachal Pradesh has only two districts – Tirap and Changlang – touching the neighbouring country.
Almost the entire stretch of the Indo-Myanmar border passes through hilly terrain and pockets of insurgent strongholds making the task of fencing a challenging one for the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).