Sensitive Fulertal-Tipaimukh river route brought under surveillance

  Special Correspondent

Silchar,  June 27: Though normalcy now prevails in the once known insurgency-infested areas of upstream of Barak in the Lakhipur sub-division of Cachar, these places were once the hotbed of various rebel groups operating from the eastern Manipur and Mizoram belts. There have been certain places identified as Chotobekra and Borobekra on the upstream where rebel groups had even set up camps. Frequent security operations had dismantled them, forcing the groups to retreat to the interior areas of Manipur and Mizoram.

 Even, the well known rebel group BNLF (Bru tiol Liberation Front) had also their training camp. It is true that excepting the Manipur rebels, other groups have either bade farewell to arms or opted for ceasefire. The danger still lurks as the splintered factions continue to flex their muscles. The possibility of extremists using the river route of Fulertal to Tipaimukh, the tri-junction of Manipur, Mizoram and Assam has not been ruled out, according to intelligence.

 In fact, the motor-boat on this route after and before the restoration of normalcy have been plying freely with passengers, mostly tribals, and goods. There has been no check gate at the entry point of Fulertal. It is difficult to say disguised as passengers, some extremists might also make their entry and exit. The sensitive tiol Highway 37 earlier 53 from Silchar to Imphal is having check-posts at several points. Moreover, most of the motor-boats have been operating without any registration, permit and license. According to official sources, around 80 motor-boats ply everyday.

  After joining as SDO (civil), T T D Daulagupu, having monitored the situation sent a message to Inland Water Transport Department, Guwahati, posting him with the open plying of motor-boats on the sensitive river-route and expressed his apprehension about the possibility of infiltration of extremists with evil design. Taking a serious note of the message, IWT sent a 5 member team to investigate and take on the spot decision and action.

 The team camped at Fulertal and Lakhipur for 5 days. Realizing the immediate follow up action, the investigative team consisting of Bikramaditya Dutta Choudhury, Deputy Director, Dilip Kumar Chakraborty, executive engineer, Hafizur Rahman, surveyor, Tarun Ghosh and Pafulla Kalita, enforcement, recommended to the SDO (civil) for directive all the motor-boat owners yet to be registered to collect their registration form without further delay. It will be on the basis of registration forms after verification that their permit and license will be issued.   Accordingly, out of the 80 motor-boats, 42 owners have till the filing of report submitted their registration forms. It is for the first time and Fulertal is the only ferry-ghat in Barak Valley which will come under the direct control of civil administration of Lakhipur. With the restriction and close monitoring of the ferry-ghat, unlawful plying of boats and motor-boats on the sensitive river-route will be minimized if not totally under control.