Kolkata, Oct 15 (IANS) Border Security Force (BSF) Director General Praveen Kumar has thanked West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and the state government for providing land for strengthening infrastructure along the India-Bangladesh border.
“The BSF DG expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister and the state government for providing land for border infrastructure, which will facilitate the strengthening of the border security grid and plugging of feasible gaps in border fencing,” a statement said on Thursday.
Kumar met Adhikari on October 14 and apprised him of the prevailing security situation along the India-Bangladesh border.
India shares a 4,096.7-km-long border with Bangladesh, of which 2,216.7 km lies in West Bengal. The border in the state stretches from the Sundarbans in the south to the strategically important Siliguri Corridor in the north.
During the meeting, Kumar briefed the Chief Minister on the operational preparedness of BSF formations in West Bengal and the strategies being adopted to secure stretches of the border that remain unfenced.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, nearly 569 km of the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal remains unfenced. Of this, around 113 km is riverine, where conventional fencing is not feasible.
Unlike other states bordering Bangladesh, the BSF operates through two frontiers in West Bengal — the South Bengal Frontier and the North Bengal Frontier.
After coming to power, the BJP government led by Adhikari began handing over land to the BSF for border fencing and the construction of Border Outposts (BOPs). Nearly 1,024 acres across nine districts have been cleared for transfer to the force.
The state government has maintained that delays under the previous administration had held up the development of crucial border infrastructure.
“The coordination between all security agencies to prevent illegal infiltration and other crimes along the border was discussed during the meeting. The need to relocate zero-line villages was also discussed,” a source said.
Zero-line villages are settlements located within 150 yards of the international border. Many such villages are situated beyond the border fence, while in some areas their presence has made fencing difficult.
There are nearly 360 zero-line villages in West Bengal, with a combined population of around 70,000. Their location presents operational challenges for the BSF, which has sought their relocation.
Adhikari assured the BSF DG of the state government’s assistance in addressing the issue. He also said the government would extend necessary support for the welfare of BSF personnel and their families.
–IANS
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