Following a review meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has instructed Deputy Commissioners of districts along the Indo-Bangladesh border to consider the completion of fencing on the international boundary to be a top priority.
The border has become a hot button issue with illegal migration, smuggling, a not-so-friendly government in charge in Dhaka and the potential even for Pakistan-based terrorists to come into the country from Bangladesh all raising concern in Indian government circles.
Meghalaya shares a 443km-long border with Bangladesh, which is unfenced in portions. Part of this is due to difficult terrain but some landowners are reluctant to allow fencing as they fear losing control of their land on the wrong side of the fence; according to an established treaty between the two countries, no permanent structures are allowed to be set up within 150m of the border.
Tynsong, who holds the Home portfolio, instructed the DCs to prioritise fencing in these gap areas. He held a review meeting today with the border DCs, the Inspector General of the Border Security Force Meghalaya and other officials.
The Deputy CM later told reporters that they discussed a number of issues. It was concluded that the DCs concerned will work with stakeholders to solve the land challenges. “I have instructed DCs from all these districts to revisit and consider this as a top most priority because the situation in the country as a whole, and particularly the North East states bordering Bangladesh, is not that conducive. We want to ensure that the unfenced border is completed at the earliest,” he said.
Although some villages have demanded that fencing be conducted on the actual border and not 150m inside Indian territory, Tynsong said that the Indo-Bangladesh agreement is the norm internationally. However, there are some places where a fence 150m from the border would cut through villages on the Meghalaya side and the state government has written to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to see if a solution can be worked out in these specific cases.
In the meantime, different agencies at the state and central levels, are monitoring the border closely to “ensure safety and security of our people”, Tynsong assured.
The meeting today focused on Khasi-Jaintia Hills. Tynsong informed that fencing in Garo Hills is largely complete. Jaintia Hills, however, has 35km of unfenced border, while in East Khasi Hills the unfenced portion is only around 8km.
