Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong today expressed concern about areas along the international border with Bangladesh that remain unfenced.
Meghalaya shares a 443km border with Bangladesh. Much of the area on the Indian side is remot, underpopulated and difficult to access due to tricky terrain. Smuggling and illegal migration are recurring problems and the possibility for terrorists and militants to use this route to cross over into India is a big worry.
Tynsong explained the main issue with the unfenced portions is land availability because often landowners or village leaders are not willing to allow fencing. This is because, by treaty, neither country is allowed to construct permanent structures (such as a border fence) on the ‘zero line’, i.e. the actual border, but can only erect it 150m away. This would leave Indian territory on the wrong side of the fence. While still belonging to India, there are restrictions on crossing the fence to and fro and farmers risk losing crops, etc. In effect, the land on the other side of the fence becomes no-man’s land.
“We are working on the portion where the challenges are. The Deputy Commissioners will reach out to the landowners and find a solution,” stated Tynsong.
He also assured that everything is in order at the international border and that from time to time the state government conducts meetings with central agencies like the Border Security Force (BSF). “The BSF and state government along with the DGP (Director General of Police) and others hold meetings regularly. We are closely monitoring the situation at the international border with Bangladesh as we are aware that the situation is very fluid. We have instructed traditional heads to cooperate with the agencies so that we are safe and no infiltrators should be allowed to enter India,” Tynsong assured.
The Deputy CM, who also holds the Home portfolio, also confirmed that there are no Pakistani nationals residing in Meghalaya. All Pakistanis were ordered to leave the country following the Pahalgam terrorist attack last week.
Harijan Colony meeting inconclusive
Meanwhile, the state government also held a meeting with the DGP and the Shillong Municipal Board to discuss the Harijan Colony relocation. Tynsong said that the meeting was inconclusive and they are still awaiting a response from the Union Ministry of Defence to the letter the state government had sent requesting the use of unutilised land within Shillong Cantonment for the relocation of the colony residents from Them Ïewmawlong.
