Border dispute snowballed to diversion of river course

MELURI, JUNE 19: IN a delayed report reaching here, the district administration and police personnel of Meluri division under Nagaland and Jessami sub-division, under Manipur were put to task after a border dispute arose between the villagers of Matikhrü (Nagaland) and Jessami (Manipur).

Sources said a group of Jessami villagers along with the help of an excavator (JCB) intentionally diverted the course of the Thetsü River on June 17, following which the villagers of Matikhrü also reacted.

According to EAC Lephori (Nagaland), Kedale Sebu, she suspected the move of the Jessami villagers as in a way to encroach the land (paddy fields) of Matikhrü villagers. Matikhrü falls under Lephori sub-division.

“In changing the course of the river, they (Jessami) must have attempted to expand their paddy fields, while putting greater risks to the paddy fields of Nagaland side which belongs to Matikhrü villagers,” she said.

Going by history, it was learned that the said area (Paddy fields) where Jessami villagers interfered, earlier belonged to Soraphong, a village on Manipur side. It was learned that the Jessami villagers interfered after some of their villagers bought the paddy fields from Soraphong villagers.

According to sources, earlier there was no dispute between the villagers of Matikhrü and Soraphong. The dispute started only after the Jessami villagers bought the area/paddy fields from Soraphong villagers.

The ADC of Meluri, John Tsulise Sangtam, who visited the dispute area, said the administration have seized the excavator, further informing that they have asked the Jessami villagers to change the river course to its original position.

The new river course, if not changed, also has every chance to destroy the paddy fields of Matikhrü and Kanjang, also a Naga village near the border area. As per reports, talks are on between the district administrations from both Nagaland and Manipur.