Dhubri, March 1: The All Assam Students Union today alleged that the government was dragging its feet over the construction of a border outpost in Dhubri district.

The students? union said the land for construction has not been notified yet by the Assam land and revenue department, despite the Union home minister?s assurance during a joint visit with student leaders to the Indo-Bangla border in Dhubri district a couple of months back.

While expressing concern over the unfenced and unmanned border areas of the district, AASU central co-ordinator of international border cell, Inamul Hoque, said the BSF has the necessary funds but is hamstrung by the notification.

Hoque said all the district-level formalities for acquiring the land had been completed by the Berbhangi, Kedar Adda-I, Kedar Adda-II, Binnachara, Ramraikutir, Lakhimari and Kuti Lakhimari border outposts under the Dhubri sector and sent to the state land and revenue department for issuing the notification. But there has been no response from the department.

The cell co-ordinator said infiltration is rampant along the 46-km riverine border. Brahmaputra shares a 42-km riverine border while Gangadhar and Kalo share 2 km each, Hoque said.

He pointed out that 40 BSF jawans (five BSF tents, from border pillar 1031/15 S to 1050, housing eight soldiers each) are grossly inadequate to patrol the entire 42-km stretch.

Hoque said apart from the riverine border area, a long stretch of surface border on the south side of the district is neither fenced nor manned. Infiltration and smuggling are especially rampant along the unfenced stretch between Bheramara border pillar 1047 and Helidiganj BSF camp (border pillar 1051), he added.