Imphal, May 26 (IANS) The security forces have seized 610 tons of “illegally transported” timber worth Rs 3.10 crore in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district, adjoining Myanmar, officials said on Monday.

A defence spokesman said the illegally procured timber was carried in 61 trucks, and the vehicles have also been confiscated under the Motor Vehicles Act, 2019 and the Manipur Forest Rules, 2021.

The seized timber and vehicles have been handed over to the Manipur Police in the Tengnoupal Police Station for further probe and taking legal action, he said.

The operation was carried out jointly by the Assam Rifles and the Manipur Police.

A police official separately said that the police, in coordination with the Forest Department officials, are conducting a probe to ascertain the origin of the huge consignment and where these was intended to be delivered.

Police are also trying to find out whether the timber was smuggled from neighbouring Myanmar, which shares a 398-km-long unfenced border with Manipur.

The illegal trades of numerous drugs, exotic animals, varied food products, valuables, arms and other contrabands are often taking place through the Manipur-Myanmar hilly borders.

Another official said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has stepped up India-Myanmar border fencing work near Moreh town in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district last year. The fencing work would be done in a phase-wise manner, he said, adding that so far, 10 km border had been fenced.

The border fencing work was undertaken by ‘Project Sewak’ of the BRO, which is looking after road construction in Nagaland and Manipur. The ‘Project Sewak’ headquarters is in Nagaland’s Dimapur, the officer said.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier decided that the entire 1,643 km porous India-Myanmar borders with four northeastern states — Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland — known for the smuggling of arms, ammunition and narcotics, would be fenced at a cost of Rs 31,000 crore.

Manipur shares 398 km of border with Myanmar, while Arunachal Pradesh shares 520 km, Nagaland 215 km and Mizoram 510 km.

Various Naga, Mizo, Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal organisations, some local political parties, along with the Nagaland and Mizoram governments, are against the India-Myanmar border fencing.

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla recently reviewed the progress of the ongoing border fencing work along the India-Myanmar frontiers, officials said.

A Raj Bhavan official said that the Governor, at a high-level meeting, reviewed the progress of the ongoing border fencing work along Manipur, including issues pertaining to the execution of the work along the India-Myanmar border with other northeastern states.

During the meeting held at Raj Bhavan, officials of the Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) briefed the Governor on the progress and highlighted matters related to land acquisition, approach roads, fencing, security, manpower and other related issues.

The BRTF is a unit under the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, Commissioner (Home) N. Ashok Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Principal Secretary, Agriculture, Secretary to the Governor, and officials from Assam Rifles attended the meeting, among others. Deputy Commissioners of the five border districts also attended the review meeting via video conference.

–IANS

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