42-km stretch of Indo-Bangla border remains unfenced in Meghalaya sector
Shillong, May 2: The Border Security Force (BSF) has urged residents living along Indo-Bangla border in Meghalaya to part with their land to erect border fencing in 42-km yet-to-be-fenced stretches, in order to strengthen national security.
“Around 42 kilometres of border in Meghalaya is unfenced, primarily because of the non-availability of the land,” BSF inspector general (IG) OP Upadhyay told reporters on Thursday.
Stating a border fencing is project of national importance, the IG said, “We are working in close coordination with the state government (for a solution).”
Upadhyay said the state government, including the chief minister, is concerned over the matter and the government is proactively working on it.
He expressed the hope of finding a solution to the long-pending issue.
Informing that respective deputy commissioners are trying to persuade the villagers, whose land is going to be affected, the IG admitted to the villagers being concerned over losing the land outside the fence for good.
Seeking to address the key concern, the IG said, “…we are ready to help all the border population… in whatever sense they will require our assistance be it in the form of security and patrols, …gates in the fencing.”
He underlined the role the border fencing plays in national security and state security as well.
Meanwhile, he said cross-border smuggling has been on the decline.
“In the past, during election time, there were concerns about smuggling, but at the moment downward trend is visible, primarily because of alertness of the BSF, coordination and cooperation of the state police and other agencies,” he said.
On the recent developments in Bangladesh and the Pahalgam terror attack, Upadhyay said, “There is a requirement of enhanced level of security and vigilance. Accordingly, we have enhanced our security and vigilance and we are ready for any eventuality. “
While Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras have been installed in view of the recent developments, deployment of electronic surveillance of vulnerable patches (ESVP) in around 32-km border stretch will take place very soon, he said.
Very recently, all the floodlights along 443 kms of the border with Meghalaya have been replaced with the advanced floodlights.
The BSF is also using sniffer and tracker dogs in operations such as patrolling and ambush-cum-patrol, observation post, and zero line patrolling.
“We have got good quality of efficient dogs be it sniffer and tracker dogs. We are focusing on the tracker dogs so that we can track the culprits and catch hold of them,” the IG said.
On cross-border infiltration, he said the infiltration has come down by 70% in the past two-three months.
“We have requested the concerned agencies to take necessary legal actions against the touts, both Bangladeshi and Indians,” he said.
