CNTC visits Aghunaqa, seeks urgent steps to secure border

Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC), along with Central Nagaland Women’s Association (CNWA) and Central Nagaland Students’ Association (CNSA), on August 6 visited Aghunaqa area under Niuland district bordering Assam to assess the eviction drive and the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the border areas.
In a statement, Central Nagaland Tribes Council general secretary Himato K. Yeptho said the team held deliberations with residents of the area and, based on first-hand information, placed certain short-term and long-term measures for the state government’s consideration to safeguard the state’s boundaries.
Short-term measures proposed include: Setting up village border guards (VBG) in all border areas; deployment and setting up of IR camps in border areas to enhance security and prevent infiltration by illegal immigrants; establishing check posts at all entry points of the border areas and empowering village councils to check influx of illegal immigrants in their jurisdictions.
Long-term measures suggested: Revisiting the 1972 forest area agreement between Nagaland and Assam and constructing roads in border areas to facilitate patrolling by state security personnel.