High tech barrier to plug Indo-Bangla border

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Feb 20: The Central government is presently carrying out a feasibility study on sealing of the open portion of the India-Bangladesh border in Assam sector by using high tech physical and non-physical barrier technology.

The decision to seal the open portion of the intertiol border in the State by using latest technology was taken by the government for stopping cross-border influx of people as well as crimil and other anti-tiol elements sneaking into the State.     

According to official sources, the total length of the India-Bangladesh border is 280.06 km, of which, 208.65 km has already been fenced off. But 71.41 km still remains unfenced. Out of this, 6.5 km is land area while the remaining is riverine/char/bridge & culvert sections. Bridges and culverts length of 3.696 km is still open along the border.

Out of 6.5 km of land area, 3.5 km is under Karimganj town area and discussion is continuing between Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Border Guards for settling the dispute, added sources.

Sources further stated that land acquisition process is going on for the remaining 3 km at Lathitilla-Dumabari area in Karimganj district and fencing work will be started after completion of this process.

After the BJP-led coalition government took charge in the State, Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal visited the India-Bangladesh border in Dhubri district to take stock of the situation there. Sonowal expressed shock after seeing the vast open riverine border with Bangladesh in the district, shooting off a letter thereafter to the Central government urging it to take all possible measures to secure this vast reverine border in the district.