Centre asks Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur to keep close watch on activities of foreigners

Representational file image.
| Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR

The Union Home Ministry has asked police and security agencies in the States of Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur to “keep a close watch on the activities of the foreigners visiting these States”.

In a circular sent on December 17 to the Chief Secretaries of the three States bordering Myanmar, the Ministry said that State governments “shall take necessary action to strengthen their mechanism to monitor the activities of foreigners”.

Also read | Centre reimposes Protected Area Permit in Manipur and two more Northeastern States amid security concerns

The order accessed by The Hindu said that the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and police authorities should keep a close watch on the activities of the foreigners and “if anything adverse is found, appropriate action may be taken under relevant Acts including Foreigners Act”.

The circular was issued to withdraw the relaxation provided under the Protected Area Regime (PAR) to the three States since 2010, which enabled the arrival of foreigners without a Protected Area Permit (PAP) for tourism or other purposes. The exemption from PAR, in existence since 1958, has been withdrawn in the three States after a relaxation of 14 years. After being extended in 2022, the relaxation was to continue till December 31, 2027. The Home Ministry said that the matter was examined “in the backdrop of growing security concerns in border areas of these States”.

The PAPs or special permits are either issued by the Ministry or the State governments.

The latest circular states that in order to “facilitate the travel of bonafide foreigners and to avoid delays in granting the PAP/RAP (Restricted Area Permits) permits, it has now been decided to process all PAP/RAP applications on the e-FRRO portal only. No physical PAP/Rap permits shall be issued.”

It added that the pending physical applications, if any will be integrated on the e-FRRO portal by the State governments in coordination with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

FRRO functions under the Home Ministry. A centralised platform has been designed to track the movement of foreigners in the country.

The Ministry further requested all State governments to sensitise all the authorities concerned under their administrative control. “These instructions may please be brought to the notice of all concerned for compliance with immediate effect,” the Ministry said.

It said that all foreigners who want to visit the three States “shall mandatorily obtain PAP from the authorities to whom powers have been delegated”.

On December 18, the Manipur government said in a press statement that PAR was reimposed in light of “growing security concerns arising out of influx from neighbouring countries”.

Manipur has been affected by ethnic violence between the tribal Kuki-Zo people and the Meitei people since May 3, 2023. More than 250 people have been killed and around 60,000 people have been displaced from their homes.