Kohima, March 31: Displaying an international business sense, more than 25 villages in Nagaland?s Phek district collected over Rs 2 lakh this month to help Myanmar villagers construct roads.

The idea of improving trade ties with Myanmar struck villagers inhabiting the Meluri area and they got together under the banner of Pochury Public Forum to give shape to their vision.

The forum collected the money and handed it over to villagers of Sapia and Benakung in Myanmar?s Leyshi subdivision to construct a road between the villages, which will then be connected to Avankhung village on the Indian side.

With the donation, Sapia and Benakung villagers have reportedly bought diesel for a rented bulldozer to clear the area.

Sapia is only 8 km from the border and a day?s walk from villages on the Indian side. It is already a success story with its booming trade in oranges. Each household earns almost 2 lakh kyats per year.

In the early 1960s, Indian troops had dropped supplies of oranges in Sapia and nearby villages. ?It is said the villagers ate the oranges and planted the seeds,? said Nyurhetho Pochury of Meluri.

Help has also been extended to two more Myanmarese villages, Kukilon and Pangshat, so that they can be connected to New Thewati in India.

Forum president Penthvii Pochury said connection between Myanmar villages would ensure faster transportation of goods to this side of the border. He said the Myanmarese villagers were toiling hard to construct the roads.

?Better roads will give the Myanmarese easy access to our villages, too,? Meluri legislator Yitachu said. These Myanmarese villages are also close to the Chindwin river, which is used to ferry goods to and from Rangoon, sources said.

Indian villagers import timber, livestock, footwear and other cheap goods from Myanmar, while villagers on the other side of the border primarily buy tea and salt. At times, these ties have transcended business and ended up in marriages.

?The new Look East policy of the Centre and the extra effort from these villagers will certainly help in building stronger trade ties with Myanmar,? Yitachu said, adding that more goods will be added to the list.

?We will also look into the matter of setting up major industries once the infrastructure is in place. However, the legalities have to be looked into,? he said.

The forum will submit memoranda to Union commerce ministry officials, who will visit Avankhung on the border on April 11, in this connection. Yitachu hoped that the move at the grassroots level would impress the officials.

The endeavour springing from rustic roots may well lead to the path of success and bring life to the international trade centres that have been lying idle since their construction years ago. Such a trade centre at Longwa village in Mon district has already become dilapidated with disuse because of poor road connectivity between India and Myanmar.