Imphal, April 30 (IANS): Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said on Tuesday that the influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar led to the emergence of 996 new villages in the state in the past 18 years.

In a series of posts on social media, the Chief Minister said the unnatural growth of 996 new villages since 2006 and illegal immigration from Myanmar is a threat to the indigenous people and national security.

“Will anyone accept the unnatural growth of new villages and population, causing massive changes to the demography of the state and the country due to the influx of illegal immigrants?

"We're confronting a serious issue within our nation, especially in Manipur, where several new villages have emerged due to a massive influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar since 2006 till date. During this period, massive forest covers have been destroyed to establish settlements and carry out poppy plantations,” the Chief Minister said.

CM Singh also said that these illegal immigrants have started encroaching on the resources, job opportunities, land, and the rights of the indigenous people.

“We have started collecting biometric data of the illegal immigrants besides geotagging their settlements,” the Chief Minister said, as he appealed to everyone in the country to support the government in keeping the nation safe and secure from illegal immigrants.

CM Singh also said that when the UK Prime Minister (Rishi Sunak) recently asserted the nation's unyielding commitment to deporting illegal immigrants and even claimed that no foreign court can stop them, nobody dared to question the British government.

“But when the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Manipur government are adopting a similar stance and initiating the deportation of illegal immigrants from Manipur, certain sections of people are losing their sleep. They have been persistently spreading false propaganda to portray the Manipur government as communal,” he said.

A Manipur government report said that since 2006, the state has witnessed a substantial increase in the number of new villages, primarily attributed to the influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar.

These immigrants have set up settlements by encroaching upon forest lands, leading to deforestation and environmental degradation, the report said, adding that they have engaged in illicit activities such as poppy cultivation, further exacerbating the socio-economic and ecological challenges faced by the region.

In response to these challenges, the Manipur government has initiated several measures aimed at addressing the issue of illegal immigration and its associated impacts.

Besides collecting biometric data of the illegal immigrants and geotagging their settlements, the other measures include enhancing security along around 400 km India-Myanmar border in Manipur, engagement of indigenous communities, and empowering them to safeguard their rights and interests against encroachment and exploitation.

Collaboration between government agencies, civil society organisations, and local communities is essential to mitigate the adverse impacts of illegal immigration and ensure the long-term well-being and security of the region, the report said.