New Delhi [India], August 3 : About 76 per cent of the India-Bangladesh border had been covered by the fence and the balance length of the international border will be covered by physical fencing and technological solutions in the form of the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS), the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha. The riverine border which is not feasible for fencing will be covered through technological solutions, said the Ministry, adding a pilot project in Assam’s Dhubri along 61 km riverine border has been implemented and that the government is regularly monitoring the progress of work. As per the input, 3,141 kilometres of the total 4,096.7 kilometres India-Bangladesh border is covered by fencing, informed Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai while responding to question in the Lower House. Of the total 2,216.70 km, India-Bangladesh border share with West Bengal, 1,638 km is covered by fence followed by 210 km of 263 km in Assam, 326 km of 443 km in Meghalaya, 155 km of 318 km in Mizoram, and 812 km of 856 km in Tripura. The Minister further informed the house that a total of 77,410 cattle were seized in 2019 with the arrest of 703 smugglers followed by 46,809 cattle seizures in 2020 with the arrest of 460 smugglers on the India-Bangladesh border. “Indian government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to check illegal trade of cattle along Indi-Bangladesh border which inter-alia includes round the clock surveillance and patrolling on the borders and establishment of observation post; increase in the number of BSF personnel; construction of border fencing and floodlighting; use of watercraft or boats and floating Border Out Posts (BOP) for domination of riverine area; deployment of advance technological equipments like Hand Held Thermal Imager (HHTI), Night vision Device (NVD), Twin Telescope, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV); upgradation of intelligence setup and enhanced coordination with the state governments or concerned intelligence agencies,” said the Minister. “Noting that Border Security Force (BSF) conducts regular patrolling, lay nakas, establish observation posts and carry out an anti-tunnelling exercise to stop illegal migrants”, the Minister said. “Some illegal migrants are still able to enter in a clandestine and surreptitious manner, mainly due to difficult riverine terrain in parts of the International Border with Bangladesh which is not amenable to physical fencing,” Rai further added. The minister said around 1,109 foreigners were apprehended along the India-Bangladesh border in 2019 and 955 last year while attempting to infiltrate into India. “Whenever the involvement of a BSF personnel comes to light for illegal movement of people and cattle smuggling along the India-Bangladesh border,” said the Minister adding that the BSF carries out the investigation and appropriate disciplinary action is taken as per the rules. Informing about actions taken against the BSF personnel deputed on the border in cases of dereliction duty, Rai said, “Since 2019, disciplinary action against 28 BSF personnel was initiated, out of which 22 personnel have been punished and disciplinary action is in process for six personnel.”
