Aizawl: The recent influx of over 1,000 refugees into Champhai district has increased the total number of Myanmar refugees taking shelter in Mizoram to around 40,000.The Mizoram govt is currently treating these new arrivals as temporary refugees and has not included them in ongoing biometric enrolment efforts.However, the state govt record shows, there are now 29,723 registered Myanmar refugees in Mizoram, with Champhai hosting the largest number at 12,083.State home department officials said although over 1,000 refugees from Falam township (district) of Chin state have been taking shelter in Champhai since May 1, they are not included in the ongoing exercise of biometric enrolment of refugees. “The new entrants are not included in the biometric process as they are most likely to return soon,” a home department official said.The first wave of refugees arrived in Champhai following an airstrike at Khawpuichhip village in Falam township on May 1, which killed seven people, including six children, one of whom was a five-month-old infant. Police said 151 refugees from Khawpuichhip entered Zokhawthar village, situated on the India-Myanmar border and along the Tiau river. An additional 42 refugees from Khawpuichhip, Satawm, and Saek also entered Saikhumphai hamlet, approximately 80km west of Zokhawthar.The second and latest wave of influx occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday, when 822 refugees fled to Zokhawthar amid fears of an impending westward push by Myanmar Junta troops. These troops had recaptured Falam town and nearby Surbung Airport on April 25 after a year under control of the Chin Brotherhood.Concerns are mounting over a possible attempt by the Junta troops to recapture areas near Champhai district, locally known as ‘Hualngoram’. The Hualngoram People’s Organisation (HPO) and its armed wing, Chinland Defence Force-Hualngoram (CDF-Hualngoram), issued a circular on May 9, urging all the CDF-Hualngoram cadres on leave to join immediately in anticipation of a possible advance of the Myanmar Army from Falam.The HPO also issued an appeal to the Hualngoram Reserved Force (HRF) cadres to prepare for any eventuality. The HRF members are village volunteers who had undergone basic guerilla training who were recruited to support the CDF-Hualngoram in times of conflict.HPO leader Khuma said the Junta administration is eyeing to recapture Rihkhawdar-Khawmawi sector, where lucrative border trade takes place with Zokhawthar trade centre in Mizoram’s Champhai district.Zokhawthar village, a key border town and popular tourist destination, faces a humanitarian crisis and demographic strain. The total population of Zokhawthar village in the 2011 Census was under 3,000, while the village now is hosting around 8,000 refugees.Meanwhile, district officials across11 districts in Mizoram have completed biometric enrolment of 28,812 Myanmar refugees out of the total 29,723. Additionally, the officials also have completed biometric enrolment of 1,281 out of 1,671 refugees from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh till Saturday.