More BOPs for improved border security

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, June 3: Over 40 new Border Out-Posts (BOPs) are being set up in Northeast, particularly in Aruchal Pradesh, to improve the security presence along the intertiol border with Chi.

Union minister Kiren Rijiju said security and development of border areas, especially in Aruchal Pradesh, is a priority area for the Centre.

He informed that 37 additiol BOPs of ITBP have been sanctioned for Aruchal Pradesh and five for Sikkim.

 “These BOPs will facilitate maintaining of security as well as provide better connectivity and accessibility for the local people,” Rijiju added.

He also pointed that a new battalion of the NDRF will be based in Aruchal Pradesh, which will be entrusted with responsibility of Aruchal Pradesh, upper Assam, galand and Manipur.

This new battalion is among the two NDRF battalions sanctioned by the BJP government, with the other being based in the PM’s constituency of Varasi.

One NDRF battalion is already stationed in Northeast (Guwahati) which is looking after the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.

The minister further informed that Rs 261 crore, spent by state governments of NE in security-related matters, have been reimbursed by the Central government.

An amount of Rs 5,000 crore has been earmarked for NE for improving communication infrastructure in the region.

He further informed that the Inspector General of CISF in-charge of NE, who was so long based in Kolkata, will be based in Guwahati from now.

On the inter-state border disputes in the region, Rijiju said much of the problem was created by some ‘bad elements’ and settlers along the disputed tracts who tend to mislead their respective state governments.

Rijiju also said the Centre was not kept in the loop by the SS Khaplang faction of NSCN while it had decided on unilaterally abrogating its ceasefire in March this year.

“I want to make it clear that the (unilateral) abrogation of the ceasefire by the NSCN-K was not in the knowledge of the Union Home Ministry. We were surprised by their decision because of which there is so much of tension now,” he said.

“I apprehend that their decision will affect the civilian population (in galand). So, my appeal to them (extremist groups) is that they desist from taking any decision that creates a problem for all of us,” he said.