SHILLONG, Jan 23: As many as 38 villages in Meghalaya falling within 150 yards of the international border with Bangladesh stare at a risk of being cut off due to the ongoing border fencing work, prompting the Border Security Force to seek nod from Border Guard Bangladesh for realignment of the border fence.
Speaking to reporters here, BSF Meghalaya Frontier DIG, Parveen Bakshi said there are several villages, including Lyngkhong in East Khasi Hills, where people reside within 150 yards of the international border.
Stating that there are two options to resolve the matter, he said, “One option is we can either resettle them in areas beyond 150 yards or else with the concurrence of Bangladesh, we can realign the fencing beyond those villages.”
Bakshi said the BSF has taken up the matter with the Bangladesh side. “Once concurrence is received, the fencing will be realigned and erected as per the concurrence,” he said.
He pointed out that in Lyngkhong village in East Khasi Hills, the foundation for the single line fence has been built but the work has been stopped due to protests from locals who are apprehensive of being cut off from India. The state government has instructed the National Building Construction Corporation to work on the possibility of pushing the fencing towards the zero line.
As per the Indira-Mujib pact of 1972, no permanent structure can be built within 150 yards of the international border.
Bakshi also said that the fencing work is contouring where the alignment has been approved and the work has been allotted in those areas where land is available.
