Border fencing work set for 2017 completion

SHILLONG: The BSF Meghalaya Frontier has targeted to complete fencing of the Indo- Bangla border in the State by 2017.
Informing this, the BSF on Monday said NBCC, which is the implementing agency, was carrying out the work in a systematized manner from Tura to Jowai and after completion of the work in Jowai fencing will begin in the Dawki sector.
He said the NBCC was surveying the alignment for the border fencing at Dawki.
Fencing of the international border in Meghalaya has been delayed due to opposition from land owners and pressure groups.
Though the Supreme Court had, in December last year, directed the Centre to complete fencing work along the Indo-Bangla border within three months to check cross-border infiltration from Bangladesh, land acquisition hurdles in the State have prevented parts of the international border along Khasi and Jaintia Hills from being fenced.
Reacting to a query, the BSF official said approximately 300 km out of the 443 km long international border in Meghalaya has been fenced so far.
Land owners and pressure groups in Meghalaya are opposed to the Centre’s decision to construct the border fence 150 yards inside the Zero Line in Indian territory. They have demanded that the fence should come up right on the Zero Line to prevent loss of arable land for farmers of Meghalaya.