SHILLONG: Despite the Border Security Force (BSF) depositing Rs 14 crore, the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited(MeECL) has failed to provide electricity to operationalise flood lights in the borders , compelling the Force to depend on generators.
The BSF IG in-charge Meghalaya frontier Sudesh Kumar told reports on Tuesday evening that it was almost nine years back that the BSF deposited money with the State Government for flood lighting.
Since there is no electricity in several BOPs, the BSF has allotted two generators each at least to light up the BOPs , but for the flood lights, purchase of generators is a costly affair on the part of the BSF, Kumar said.
The total electricity required for flood lighting in the entire border in Meghalaya is 44300 KV.
There are as many as 117 operational BOPs. With the delay in getting electricity from the State Government, the BSF is contemplating to use generators to light up the borders, though this will be costly.
The BSF has 45 numbers of 100 Kilovolt-ampere ( KVA) generator and one generator set can cover around 10 km area. The Force has managed to light up only 93 km border.
“We will have to meet the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary to take up the issue of delay on the part of MeECL to provide electricity for flood lighting along the border though we had deposited the required amount of money several years ago “, Kumar said .
As far as border fencing is concerned, out of the total 390 km taken up for border fencing, the BSF has covered only 280 km and the remaining 110 km is yet to be fenced.
Out of the pending 110 km, the problem of encroachment in 17 km of the forest area has resulted in the slow fencing work . In the 80 km border, in East Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, the land acquisition is pending. The remaining 3 km is riverine area which will be guarded by the BSF.
Thought there is demand to have fencing along the zero line and not 150 yards away from zeroline, the BSF is planning to have single row fencing since there is objection from Bangladesh for fencing at zeroline. The single row fencing completed in 4 patches in Meghalaya which include Sibbari in West Garo Hills, Nalikata (West Khasi Hills), Bholaganj and Ringku( East Khasi Hills). The BSF is planning to carry out single row fencing in 24 patches and for 3 patches, concurrence is awaited from Bangladesh.
Kumar said that during the January 2 meeting with senior state Government officials, the issue of early fencing of the border was taken up as the Centre too wanted to complete the fencing wok in Meghalaya at the earliest.
