Kohima: In view of the reported move by
some NGOs issuing identity cards to members of a certain
community in and around Dimapur to detect illegal migrants,
the Nagaland government on Saturday said it had constituted Special
Task Forces to identify such people.
The NGOs, however, criticised the government saying it
was sleeping all these years while the problem of illegal
migrants grew unchecked.
In a recent notification, the home department asked
the district administrations to form STF to detect and deport
foreigners who entered Nagaland illegally violating the norms
of Foreigners Act 1946, Chief Secretary Lalthara said.
Lalthara said in a statement that there were reports
that certain NGOs decided to screen people belonging to a
particular community to identify illegal immigrants from
Bangladesh and issue identity cards to those found to be bona
fide Indian citizens through the screening process.
The intention of the NGOs might be good, but, except
the government`s law enforcing agencies, none had the legal
authority to launch such a programme, he said.
However, the chief secretary said the civil societies
can assist the government in detecting illegal migrants.
A network of civil society groups yesterday said
government `inaction` on the issue had forced them to detect
Bangladeshi nationals staying illegally in and around Dimapur.
PTI
