Kolkata, July 18 (IANS) The Union Home Ministry has decided to set up ten new Border Outposts (BOPs) in West Bengal, including two in the northern sector of the state, in order to completely arrest illegal immigration from Bangladesh and prevent cross‑border smuggling through the international borders in the state.
At the same time, the ministry has also taken an in‑principle decision to arrange smart virtual fencing and thermal imaging systems in a particular sector in North Bengal where physical barbed fencing is not possible because of topographical reasons, especially the presence of a river.
These decisions were taken at a crucial meeting related to border security in West Bengal at Siliguri in Darjeeling district, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday afternoon.
The others attending the meeting included the district magistrates and district police superintendents from six districts in North Bengal: Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda, all of which have international borders with Bangladesh. The meeting was also attended by BSF’s inspector general in charge of North Bengal Frontier.
Insiders aware of the developments said that a major part of the discussion concerned practical problems in setting up physical barbed fencing in certain pockets between Fulbari and Narayanjot, which are strategically located near the Indo‑Bangladesh border and the Chicken’s Neck Corridor, due to the presence of the Mahananda River.
Since a substantial part of the area, especially the portion through which the river flows, remains unfenced and open, the risk of illegal infiltration during the rainy season persists. Hence, the proposal was mooted to arrange smart virtual fencing and thermal imaging systems to prevent both illegal immigration and cross‑border smuggling in that area.
“In the meeting, the Union Home Minister clearly said that considering that the Siliguri Corridor is the lifeline of the North Eastern states of India, there would be no compromise on the security of this region. Hence, the border is being made completely impenetrable with the new BOPs and sophisticated security systems,” an official said.
Earlier in the day, Amit Shah, who arrived at Siliguri on Friday night, interacted with BSF personnel at the BSF’s 18th Battalion Border Outpost (BOP) in Siliguri, near the India‑Bangladesh border.
He also laid the foundation stone for and inaugurated development projects worth Rs 77.06 crore, reviewed the security arrangements along the border fencing, visited the watchtower, planted a sapling, and joined the BSF personnel for high tea.
–IANS
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