Nagaland government allays fears of potential immigrant influx

KOHIMA — Allaying growing concern of a possible influx of illegal immigrants from politically unstable Bangladesh into north-eastern states, including Nagaland, the state government has issued an alert to district administrations to immediately activate security coordination committees.

Addressing a press conference at the Commissioner’s Office in Kohima on Friday, Home Commissioner, Vyasan R said that he had alerted the district deputy commissioners (DCs) about the possible impact, through video conferences.

Stating that the administration, police and the entire state government should not be caught off guard, he said the DCs have been asked to conduct ‘surprise checks’ for Inner Line Permits (ILPs) and activate village councils.

He stressed the importance of maintaining open communication channels, stating that “any unnatural movement and any incident that is likely out of the ordinary should actually be reported immediately and necessary action can be taken”.

Maintaining that district administrations are the first responders and possess firsthand knowledge of the situation on the ground, he said the focus is now on actively monitoring and reporting any unusual movements or activities.

Currently, he confirmed, “there is no such movement, no, such unnatural movement of people (from Bangladesh)”.

The home commissioner said that the government had also instructed the DCs to hold regular meetings with their Assam counterparts to maintain situational awareness and the cross-border communication.

Additionally, a dedicated cell within the commissioner’s office has been set up to handle matters related to potential migration. As of now, no reports of unusual movement have been received from either the Assam side or any of the DCs in the state, he said.

Furthermore, Vyasan said that some district administrations had already activated their security coordination apparatus and conducted surprise checks, even before the video conference held on Friday morning.

“It’s not that DCs were inactive,” he said, adding that the government wants to ensure the entire district administration apparatus is on high alert, “so that we are alive to the situation and we know what to expect”.

He went on to state that the government had specifically instructed the DCs of Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland to prioritise surprise checks, particularly at vulnerable entry points.

When asked about the effectiveness of the ILP system in the state, the home commissioner said that regular checks are conducted, and its implementation is “fairly effective,” particularly in districts where it is enforced.

He said the potential deportation of any detected illegal immigrants has not yet been discussed with the DCs, as it falls under the purview of the Indian government.

Maintaining that existing local laws like the ILP system are in place to curb illegal immigration, he said the current focus is on promptly identifying any illegal entrants and ensuring open communication channels.

Once information is received through these channels, appropriate action can be taken at the relevant level, he said.

He also informed that the state government is deliberating, at the highest level, on whether the ILP system will be enforced in Dimapur.

“We don’t want to leave anything to chance and want to ensure that all the communication channels are open. We have this issue in our radar, and this is just a sort of wake-up call,” Vyasan added. 

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