Imphal, May 12 : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Sunday said that due to illegal immigrants from Myanmar, a demographic imbalance is taking place in the state, and it is a big threat to the security of the nation as well as the indigenous people in the state.

The Chief Minister said that the influx of illegal migrants from Myanmar led to the emergence of 996 new villages in the state in the last 18 years.

He said that since 2006, massive deforestation occurred to establish settlements and carry out poppy plantations while these illegal immigrants started encroaching on the resources, job opportunities, land, and rights of the indigenous people.

"I am extremely happy that the National Green Tribunal has recently suo-moto taken up the case of deforestation in the northeastern states and also in Manipur," Singh told the media.

He said that a three-member cabinet sub-committee headed by Tribal Affairs Minister Letpao Haokip had been constituted in February 2023 to detect the illegal migrants from Myanmar and the committee accompanied by officials detected 2,480 immigrants in Tengnoupal, Chandel, Churachandpur and Kamjong districts.

The other two ministers of the cabinet sub-committee were Water Resources Minister Awangbow Newmai and Education and Law Minister Basanta Kumar Singh.

The Chief Minister said that Haokip belongs to the Kuki community, Newmai Naga and Singh Meitei community.

He said that recently, 5,457 more illegal immigrants in Kamjong district were detected and out of 5,457, the biometric data of 5,173 such illegal immigrants have been collected.

So far, 379 migrants gone back to Myanmar voluntarily and 15 have died due to natural causes, the Chief Minister said, adding that as per reports received, the migrants are keen to go back to Myanmar as the cultivation season has started, but they have become hesitant due to bombing by the Myanmar army in the past few days.

He said that the illegal migrants would be deported back to Myanmar by the district administration, as and when the situation improves in Myanmar.

"We have come across certain news articles in the media that an NGO called International Committee of Jurists (ICJ) which has reportedly urged India to halt the deportation of Myanmar refugees. This organisation does not have a clear understanding of the ground reality in Manipur. They must understand that their work goes against the larger interest of the people of the state and nation. This is a matter of national security and justice will prevail," the Chief Minister said.

A total of 7,937 Myanmar nationals fled to Manipur after the military junta seized power in the neighbouring country in 2021.

Since the military took over the administration in Myanmar, around 34,350 people have also taken shelter in the neighbouring state of Mizoram.

/IANS