Dimapur: Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton on Thursday informed the state Assembly that the government is examining a proposal to establish nine new police outposts in border villages along the Assam–Nagaland border.
Patton, who also holds the Border Affairs portfolio, was responding to a starred question raised by MLA Achumbemo Kikon on the concluding day of the eighth session of the 14th Nagaland Assembly in Kohima.
He told the House that Nagaland had withdrawn all police outposts from the border areas following the 1972 Interim Agreement, while Assam has since established 63 permanent police outposts along the Assam–Nagaland border.
Kikon also raised concerns over the current status of the Tchunjanphen and Lio-Longchym/Longayim police outposts in the border region. He said recent incidents in the area required urgent attention and urged the government to deploy additional police personnel to strengthen security.
In response, Patton informed the Assembly that a temporary police outpost has been set up in the affected area, while a proposal to establish a permanent outpost is under process and will be taken up at the earliest.
Regarding the proposed permanent police outpost at Lio-Longchym, he said the matter is currently under examination by the state government.
Patton also addressed rumours circulating about the alleged collection of a Rs 2,500 training fee from candidates selected in the ongoing police constable recruitment drive. He clarified that no such fee would be charged.
During the session, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister C. L. John responded to another starred question raised by Kikon regarding whether any plantation drive had been carried out in the disturbed area belt in the Ralan region along the Assam–Nagaland border, following the recent eviction drive by Assam.
John informed the House that no plantation drive had been undertaken so far, but the department is considering initiating one in the coming months.
Replying to a supplementary question on whether forest guards have been deployed to patrol the reserve forest in the disturbed area belt, he said the area is currently being patrolled by neutral forces and that the state government has not stationed any personnel there at present.