Mizoram MLA seeks PM's help to stop areca nut smuggling from Myanmar

Mizoram Congress MLA Lalrindika Ralte has reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for help to stop areca nut smuggling from Myanmar.

Mizoram has received a sizable population of migrants from Myanmar since the coup that removed the democratic government. As the migrants are struggling to settle in, reports of various types of contraband have been coming out of the northeastern state.

Ralte in his letter to the PM wrote that the areca nut (betel nut) smuggling is hurting the sales of local growers in Mizoram. He added that the Mizoram government has not done much to fight the illegal import even though the Home Ministry has instructed both Mizoram and Manipur to curb smuggling, reported NDTV.

He also observed that the way Mizoram government has been reacting to this unhealthy situation has been pathetic and short of expectation from a state government. "The problem is being faced by local areca nut growers," he added.

The Mizoram legislator further said Assam has been doing its best to prevent the entry of illegal areca nuts. "But the Assam law enforcement agencies have not been able to distinguish Myanmar areca nuts from those grown in Mizoram." This often results in authorities seizing locally grown nuts by mistake.

The issue also led to a week-long strike called by local areca nut growers within the Hachhek assembly constituency in western Mizoram's Mamit district. The protest was against the government's alleged apathy towards the problem. The society general secretary of Hachhek Bial Kuhva Chingtu Pawl (HBKCP) said the move is to mount pressure on the state government. They had already approached higher authorities including CM Zoramthanga.