Food and supplies and cooperation minister and Bongaon Uttar MLA Ashok Kirtania on Sunday asserted that all unfenced stretches along the India-Bangladesh border would be sealed at the earliest “without any compromise” in the interest of national security.
While inspecting unfenced stretches of the border under the Chhaygharia gram panchayat in the North 24-Parganas district, Kirtania assured residents living there that the state and central governments would work in coordination to ensure the security of lives and property in the sensitive frontier region.
“There will be no compromise on border security. The remaining unfenced stretches of the India-Bangladesh border will be closed as early as possible. At the same time, we will do our best to stop infiltration and criminal activities along the border,” Kirtania said while interacting with local residents and officials.
The first BJP government in Bengal has intensified its push to complete border fencing, projecting the move as a key measure to stop infiltration, smuggling and movement of cross-border criminals.
Bengal shares a 2,217km international border with Bangladesh. While a stretch of around 1,648km is fenced, 112km of the border is riverine or has difficult terrain. The remaining 456km is what the Centre is keen to fence. In North 24-Parganas, around 30km remains unfenced, of which nearly 20km is in the Basirhat subdivision.
Soon after assuming office earlier this month, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that land required for fencing work would be handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) within a fixed deadline of 45 days.
During his visit on Sunday morning, Kirtania inspected several vulnerable patches along the unfenced border and noted that infiltrators and criminals frequently exploited these open stretches to their advantage.
Following the inspection, the minister held discussions with BSF officers at a nearby border outpost and urged them to carry out all activities in accordance with legal provisions while maintaining coordination with local residents.
Referring to the difficulties faced by people living in remote and riverine border areas, Kirtania said arrangements would be made in consultation with the BSF so that residents do not face hardship in their daily movement after fencing is completed.
“In difficult geographical and riverine areas where alignment of fencing becomes complicated, suitable arrangements like gates and other access facilities will be made so that people can go to markets, schools and other places for their daily needs,” he said.
Kirtania also spoke about the time-bound process of land acquisition before it could be handed over to the BSF. According to him, barring a few pockets in Basirhat subdivision, most of the required land has already been cleared for acquisition.
“I have spoken to the district magistrate (Shilpa Gourisaria) and she informed me that there is no issue regarding compensation for the land to be acquired for fencing work. There are some problems in three mouzas of the Basirhat region and those are being looked into. Efforts are on to persuade people who are still unwilling to part with their land. I have requested the district administration to resolve the issues quickly so that the land can be handed over and work can begin immediately,” Kirtania said.
In a strong message against infiltration, the minister said no infiltrator would be allowed to stay in the country. “The fencing work is yet to be completed. Those who have entered illegally should leave immediately, else they will face difficulties later,” he said.
Terrain scan
In Malda, the district administration on Saturday began land assessment work to fence the unfenced stretch of the India-Bangladesh border.
Officials said large portions of the unfenced area were low-lying, with difficult terrain, including nearly 3km of riverine border. Around 260 acres are required in the district for installation of barbed-wire fencing. Though the previous state administration had sanctioned nearly ₹52 crore last year for land acquisition, only around 10 acres have so far been acquired.
Officials and workers of the land and land reforms department have now intensified efforts to complete the acquisition process. Seven teams of the district administration have been deployed for the work, including three teams in Habibpur block, which has the largest stretch of international border in the district.