Aizawl: The Mizoram government has begun collecting biometric details of Myanmar nationals following instruction from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, a home department official said on Sunday.
More than 30,000 Myanmar nationals have been taking shelter across Mizoram since February 2021 after the Myanmar military junta staged a coup.
A Pilot exercise of recording biometric data of Myanmar nationals was started in all 11 districts last week, state home officer on special duty cum joint secretary David H. Lalthangliana said.
He said that the exercise was conducted in relief camps.
In April, the MHA instructed Mizoram and Manipur to capture the biographic and biometric details of illegal immigrants.
The Ministry in June reminded both states to complete the exercise by September 30.
David said that the exercise could not be undertaken immediately as the original format and programming had to be altered to suit the collection of data from Myanmar nationals.
The Mizoram government had earlier conducted profiling of the Myanmar nationals and issued identity cards to them.
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Chief Minister Zoramthanga had earlier said that his government had objected to the instruction of the Centre to deport the Myanmar nationals.
He had said that Mizoram could not push back the Myanmar nationals as they belong to the same ethnic group and had to provide shelter on humanitarian grounds.
A majority of the Myanmar nationals live in relief camps, while some live in rented houses and others are accommodated by their relatives.
The government, NGOs, churches and villagers provide food to the Myanmar nationals, who also support themselves on daily labour.
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