Border discussions focus on insurgency and drugs

IMPHAL, July 20: In the second of a series of reviews of the state situation by high-powered teams from the Centre, another 7-member task force on boundary management landed in a special BSF aircraft and held meetings with state authorities today. The team is led by the former Union home minister, Madhav Godbole as chairman. The other members of the team are: ML Mehta, T Ananthachari, Vice Admiral (retd.) AR Tandon, DVLN Ramakrishna Rao, Chinmoy Chakravorty and Lt. Gen (retd. VK Sood). They were accompanied by a number of officials, including IG(R) BSF, VN Rai; coordinator NSCS, Cabinet secretariat Col Sheonan Singh; and under secretary MHA, Sanjiv Jindal. Upon landing in Imphal the team called on the Governor, Ved Prakash Marwah, before beginning their hectic schedule of meetings with state civil as well security officials separately at the state guest house, Sanjenthong. Today's discussions on the policies to be adopted for the up- keep and security of the border, also centred around the needs and ways to control insurgent activities as well as drugs and narcotics trafficking along the Indo-Myanmar border, a reliable source said. The meeting also discussed strategies to be adopted to pave a way for a better relationship with neighbouring Myanmar so that a better and coordinated border management can come into effect, the source said. The discussions will continue tomorrow morning after the Central team has visited the border areas at Moreh and the Ukhrul district. The same afternoon they will depart for Dimapur by helicopter, the source said. After visiting some other Northeastern states, the team will return to Imphal on July 23 and proceed on to New Delhi from here, the source said. Among the state officials who met the team were the chief secretary, Rakesh, DGP DS Grewal, commissioner (home) DS Poonia, commissioner (industries) director planning, special secretary (home) and police SPs. From the security forces, the commander 57 Mountain Division, Maj Gen Arvind Sharma, 9 Sector commander, Brig Sabarwal, DIG BSF, besides NAB and NCB officials met the visiting Central team.