Border fencing work to get boost
SHILLONG: The Centre has given its consent to invoke urgency clause to get land and complete fencing work in the international border as per the request of the Meghalaya government.
Newly appointed Secretary (Border Management), Ministry of Home Affairs, Susheel Kumar on Thursday chaired a meeting at the Meghalaya Secretariat with Chief Secretary K.S. Kropha and other government officials to discuss border management and pending issues related to border fencing.
Kumar told reporters after the meeting that a detailed discussion was held regarding the pending stretches of border in Meghalaya which are yet to be fenced.
He said that a July deadline was fixed to carry out survey work of the land required for fencing.
“Central government has given its consent to invoke urgency clause as per the request of the government of Meghalaya. We have set the timeline today to get the land acquired so that fencing can be completed,” Kumar said.
To a question on the difficulties being faced by the government to fence the border, the official admitted that land is always an issue that has to be resolved in consultation with people.
“Difficulties are always there, but, I am sure the deputy commissioners will be able to solve it,” the official said, adding that the remaining stretches in the border to be fenced would be around 89 kms in Meghalaya.
To a query on how long it will take to complete the fencing work, the official said that land should come first and added that since it is a difficult terrain, the matter related to acquiring land is being taken up by all agencies concerned as quickly as possible.
When asked about the apprehension of the border residents that they will lose cultivated land due to the fencing work, Kumar said, “No it is a wrong apprehension that will be clarified by BSF personnel and they are doing the job of taking the people beyond the fence and up to the Zero Line for cultivation of land and everywhere it is being done”.
Meanwhile, sources said that as far as West Jaintia Hills is concerned, the survey work of the land will start on June 6 to ensure that fencing of the remaining 37.35 kms stretch is completed at the earliest.