The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) on Monday demanded the Manipur government to enact a full-fledged Population Commission to initiate National Register of Citizen (NRC) in the state and urged authorities concerned to continue eviction of illegal encroachers from protected areas and reserve forest.
Speaking to media at CCSK office, New Checkon, COCOMI Coordinator Jitendra Ningomba highlighted that an unchecked influx of illegal migrants had reeled Manipur’s demography and stated that the influx will create unwanted issues for the state’s indigenous population.
“COCOMI has been demanding for NRC update and population commission since long back but no action ever materialised and if authorities continue to delay the matter it will create horrifying issues for posterity,” he said.
Jitendra further pointed out that the delay had started to create issues in demarcating indigenes from illegal migrants in various districts of Manipur. As such he urged the Manipur government to table the demand to the Central government and pursue an immediate solution for the impending problem.
“Starting NRC and enacting population commission is the only immediate fix to ascertain indigenes from migrants, failure to mete out the measures will fuel the growing communal distrust in Manipur,” he added.
On eviction from protected and reserve forest, the COCOMI coordinator questioned why illegal migrants were allowed to clear forest areas and settle in government areas. The unchecked influx had led to new villages mushrooming in various reserve areas of Manipur creating various environmental havocs, he added.
“Unregulated clearing of forest areas has added to the environmental and climatic changes in Manipur,” he said.
Therefore, Jitendra demanded eviction of illegal encroachers from protected and reserve areas and further urged authorities concerned to map out suitable measures to materialise the task.
