Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has urged the state government to immediately frame a strong modality that could tackle the influx of illegal immigrants. In a representation addressed to the chief secretary, the NSF president Subenthung Kithan and NLR commission chairman Kezhazer Angami expressed concern over the influx of non-locals and illegal immigrants into Nagaland and lax implementation of Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act of 1873.
Pointing out that the BEFR Act 1873 was enacted to protect the indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland, the land and its resources from exploitation by outsiders, the NSF, however, said that the ILP system in Nagaland was not enforced in letter and spirit in line with the BEFR Act 1873.
According to the federation, the present ILP system in Nagaland, which lacked stringent terms for application, issuing of ILP and penalization of ILP defaulters, had made it liberal, porous and ineffective, thus negating the very purpose for which the Act was enacted.
NSF said the present ground reality was such that there was an impending threat of the Naga indigenous inhabitants being out-numbered by the illegal immigrant populace.
The federation has, therefore, maintained that the government of Nagaland should immediately frame a strong modality, which can tackle the present challenges of incessant influx of non-locals and illegal immigrants.
In this regard, the NSF has demanded that the following terms and conditions to be incorporated in the new modality for implementation of BEFR Act of 1873.
1. Territorial coverage: Dimapur District should come under the purview of Inner Line Permit Regulation.
2. Documents to be produced while applying ILP: (a). Applicants (Main Land Indians): Voter’s ID Card, Permanent Residential Certificate. (b). Applicants (Assam): Voter’s ID Card, Permanent Residential Certificate, Land Patta, Electoral Roll enrollment duly signed by the District Magistrate and Election Officer, National Citizen Register (NCR) (issued before 1963). (c). Local Guarantor:
I. Indigenous certificate, residential and identity proof certificate, II. A joint photograph with his/her ward should be produced.
3. Undertaking: ILP applicants should produce two local guarantors (Employer and House Owner). Both the guarantors should sign an undertaking;
I. Local guarantors and the applicant should be physically present while applying for ILP
II. That He/she should deport his/her ward on the expiry of ILP and report to the ILP Monitoring Cell.
III. That He/she should be held responsible if legal cases against his/her ward arise.
4. Validity of ILP: A maximum of 15 days should be granted.
5. Administrative Mechanism: I. Set up separate ILP Monitoring Cell in each district headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner. II. Main Entry and Exit point should be installed with CC TV.
III. Periodical orientation course for administrative officials in the ILP Monitoring Cell and police personnel manning the main check gates.
IV. Proper records of ILP holders, Guarantors and deportation should be maintained.
V. Any kind of Permits/License/Certificates should not be issued to ILP holders.
VI. A person should be limited to act as guarantor of two ILPs only.
6. Upgrade the present Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to Skill Development Institutions and add more relevant trades/courses in all the districts.
7. Government of Nagaland should initiate sensitization programmes with the Village Councils, Town/Colony/Ward leaders and apex tribal bodies in all the districts.
Moreover, the government should empower the above local bodies for the successful implementation of the ILP system in Nagaland.
