The work of installing fences in security sensitive areas on the India-Bangladesh border has intensified. The West Bengal government has transferred 1,177.1 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) since May. With this, a major administrative hurdle in the fencing work which was stalled for many years has been removed. Fencing work has started in sensitive areas of Murshidabad, Malda and North 24 Parganas districts.
West Bengal's international border with Bangladesh is about 2,216.7 km long. Of the total 4,096.7 km of India-Bangladesh border, the largest part passes through West Bengal. The unfenced border areas in the state have created problems for the security system. Due to remote areas, dense population and farming on the international border, fencing work was halted at many places.
According to the Home Department of the state government, 1,177.1 acres of land has been transferred to BSF since May. Earlier, it was reported that about 1,024.75 acres of land was transferred in July. Since then, more land has been acquired, making it possible to begin work in more border areas.
Murshidabad district has the maximum land for border fencing at 362.8 acres. After this, there is 247.7 acres of land in Malda district and 243.7 acres of land in North 24 Parganas district. Land for fencing has also been available in some parts of Nadia, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Dinajpur districts.
There are still difficulties in the river areas
Although land transfer has given a boost to fencing work, there is still no conventional fence on about 569 km of border in West Bengal. About 113 km of this stretch is along the river bank, making it difficult or impossible to erect a conventional fence. The remaining portion is facing shortage of land and other administrative problems. Changes in river flow, monsoon floods and soil erosion make it difficult to erect permanent fencing in river areas. Therefore, BSF has to use a combination of patrolling, surveillance and other security measures in such areas.
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