Fencing affected people's hunger strike in Tripura enters 27 day

Agartala, Mar 8 (UNI) The relay hunger strike by the people of Sonamura sub-division in Tripura's West District, along the Bangladesh border, who were affected due to fencing, entered the 27th day today.

Police told UNI that people of Sonamura, affected following the erection of barbed wire fencing along the international border, started a relay hunger strike from February 10 demanding financial and rehabilitation help.

On the other hand, fencing resumed in the sub-division despite the strike, officials said.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has appealed to agitating families affected by the fencing to withdraw their strike as the state government had taken necessary measures to solve their problem.

The state government also informed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Union Home Ministry about the problem of barbed wire fencing due to which 7500 to 8000 families living in the bordering areas, were badly affected.

''The crisis is not only limited to Sonamura but it is our state's problem as well,'' the Chief Minister said adding that talks with the Planning Commission were also held in this regard.

The state government also requested the Union Government to take urgent steps for rehabilitation or construction of houses for the affected families, Mr Sarkar said.

The Chief Minister also claimed that Bangladesh was unnecessarly 'creating problems' in the border areas.

UNI