CM Biren's move to conserve forests in Manipur faces major resistance from certain forces

By Payal Mehta
Imphal (Manipur) [India], April 28 (ANI): An open gym, which was supposed to be inaugurated by Chief Minister N Biren Singh in Churachandpur on Friday, was torched by some miscreants last night.
Tension flared up in the Churachandpur district of Manipur. Following the incident, additional state forces have been deployed to maintain law and order in the area. No further violence has been reported since last night.
"The recent steps taken up by N Biren Singh Government in Manipur to protect the Reserve Forest and Protected Forest in the state have faced major resistance from a section of tribal communities," top sources told ANI. It may be noted that a large gathering was waiting for the arrival of the CM today.
The widespread poppy plantations are considered to have grown exponentially due to the huge influx of illegal migrants from Myanmar, the sources further told ANI.
The narrative of the miscreants that the Govt is encroaching on their ancestral land and that their rights are being violated is being circulated falsely, say sources in the govt.
"Such allegations are continually being levelled by external forces, particularly the poppy planters and illegal immigrants scheming to thwart the chief minister's actions to protect the state. They have become a threat to the CM's development plans," the sources said.
To counter these anti-national elements, steps have been taken up to identify the illegal immigrants in the state. A sub-committee has been formed to carry out identification drives of illegal migrants in the various districts.
A Manipur Population Commission has been constituted to gather data and ground reports. Meanwhile, the state government is also setting up temporary shelters for the Myanmarese nationals who entered the state to escape the ongoing crisis in the state. (ANI)