24,475 illegal immigrants detected in Manipur border districts, 14,992 sent back: Govt

Imphal, Sep 7 (IANS) Manipur Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh on Monday told the state Assembly that 24,475 illegal immigrants have been detected in the state’s border districts, of whom 14,992 have so far been sent back, while the process of identifying and taking action against others is underway.

Replying to a query raised by Opposition Congress MLA Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh regarding the issue of illegal immigrants in the state, the Home Minister told the House that a total of 24,475 illegal immigrants have been detected in the state so far.

He also told the House that of the total 24,475 illegal immigrants detected, 14,992 have been sent back.

“Out of these, 6,545 were detected in Kamjong district, 3,560 in Tengnoupal district and 14,370 in Chandel district,” the Minister said.

Five Manipur districts – Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Kamjong and Ukhrul — share a 398 km unfenced international border with Myanmar.

Replying to a supplementary question, the Home Minister said that some illegal immigrants have been sent back while some still took shelter here, and that this process is carried out through diplomatic channels.

He also told the House that the state government had already adopted a plan and that a 12-member committee was constituted on August 7, 2024, under the chairmanship of former Minister Awangbow Newmai, to detect and identify the influx of illegal immigrants and the unnatural growth of new villages.

Govindas Singh said that the state government has also issued an order on the Action Taken Report of the committee.

He added that on February 16, 2023, a Cabinet Sub-Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of former Tribal Affairs Minister Letpao Haokip, with former Ministers Awangbow Newmai and Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh as members.

The Home Minister also said that the state Home Department had also constituted an official Executive Committee on March 24, 2023, led by Commissioner S. Chourasia, with Inspector General of Police K. Kabib, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendent of Police, Sub-Divisional Police Officers as members, to carry out verification of illegal immigrants and to assist the Cabinet Sub-Committee.

He added that the verification drive, which had already started, could not be continued due to the ethnic violence that broke out on May 3, 2023.

In Kamjong district, 5,378 out of 6,545 have been sent back to their country, while the remaining 1,167 have been sheltered in camps opened by the state government in community halls.

In Tengnoupal district, only 14 out of 3,560 have been sent back while the remaining 3,546 have been strictly instructed to be looked after by the respective Deputy Commissioners after taking their biometric records, so that they cannot move to other places.

In Chandel district, 9,600 out of 14,370 illegal immigrants have been pushed back to the Myanmar side, and biometric records of 1,308 out of the remaining 4,770 have been taken.

The Home Minister said that these illegal immigrants are presently kept in temporary shelters.

In Kamjong district, 1,167 immigrants are kept at Namli, Wanglee, Kaka, Zoro, Iko, Skipi, Huimin Thana and Phaikoh.

In Tengnoupal district, 3,546 immigrants are sheltering in Sadang village areas along the India-Myanmar border.

In Chandel district, 4,770 immigrants are kept at Molcham, Gamphajol, Khangtung, L. Nampao, Yaingol, Bongjang, Kheljang, New Lajang and nearby villages.

Additionally, Govindas Singh told the House that the state government has already instructed the respective Deputy Commissioners to segregate the illegal immigrants from the local Indian communities.

–IANS

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