RSS demands sealing of Indo-Bangladesh border after land pact

[Zabaniyah]

Bangladeshis shouldnt visit any of the Indian NE states. These places are full of backward people. Where these buses will be easy target for the ethnicity motivated barbaric hatemonger racist monsters. Only wb is secured in some sense where atleast 50% people are civilized race.

I'd rather go to Bhutan. And what's more, we don't need a visa to go there

 

[The Great One (Mod ver)]

I'd rather go to Bhutan. And what's more, we don't need a visa to go there

You don't happen to be @Zabainya, do you?

 

[Hindustani78]

Bangladesh India's most important neighbour: Ajit Doval | Zee News
Last Updated: Sunday, May 24, 2015 - 09:13

New Delhi: National Security Adviser,(NSA) Ajit Doval has said that Bangladesh is India`s most important neighbour` and called for exploiting the full potential of bilateral cooperation, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s visit to the country next month.

Doval further gave full credit to the Prime Minister Modi for the ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement while addressing the concluding session of the Sixth India Bangladesh Friendship Dialogue.

He added that India was proud to have a neighbour who is fully responsive to its security sensitivities whether it was insurgency or counterfeit currency.

Furthermore, he said that India had longest border with Bangladesh and it was a matter of great satisfaction that the two countries had now a clearly demarcated land and maritime border.

ANI

Good for Assam, now they just have to figure out how they are going to transport the finished goods from Guwahati to Kolkata port.

Centre to set up new fertilizer plant in Assam
22-May-2015 20:34 IST

File Photo
Guwahati: The Union cabinet on Thursday approved the setting up of a new fertiliser plant at Namrup in Upper Assam, stated a PMO release. The cabinet also approved financial restructuring of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL), commonly known as Namrup Fertilizer, by waiving the entire cumulative interest Rs 774.61 crore as on 31 March.

The Namrup plant will be a joint venture between BVFCL having 11 percent share, government of Assam having 11 percent share and Oil India having 26 percent share and the remaining 52 percent will be globally bid, further stated the statement.

The setting up of a new Ammonia-Urea Complex will meet the growing demand of urea of North-East, Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand. It will also ease the pressure on infrastructure due to long distance transportation of Urea from Western and Central Regions and thereby saving in government subsidy on freight. It will accelerate the economic development of the region. The proposed plant will open new avenues for the people of the North-East, read the statement.

The annual consumption of Urea in the country is approx. 310 Lakh Metric Tonne (LMT), out of which 230 LMT is produced indigenously and rest is imported. To enhance the production of urea indigenously, the Centre has earlier approved the revival of Talcher (Odisha) and Ramagundam (Telangana) units of Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited (FCIL) by PSUs through ‘nomination route’ and Barauni unit of Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Limited (HFCL) and Gorakhpur unit of FCIL through ‘bidding route’. These four units will produce about 52 lakh MT of urea annually.

The new plant will be highly energy efficient unit of international standard with latest technology and with same amount of natural gas available to the existing units, the production of urea from the new unit will be more than double i.e. 3.6 to 8.64 lakh Metric Tonnes annually.

With this, India is likely to start export of urea. The Central government would save about Rs. 600 crore annually due to reduction in cost of production and import substitution. The entire production of urea from this unit shall be neem coated so that benefits of neem coating are available to the farmers of the North-Eastern region also, the statement read.

 

[Mirzah]

Yes seal the border, electrify it, mine it as well.
We absolutely hate India

 

[livingdead]

I'd rather go to Bhutan. And what's more, we don't need a visa to go there

when did they remove you from intl mod?

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Food Processing Industries
26-May, 2015 13:12 IST
Union Government Is Paying Special Attention To North East Through Its Act East Policy, Says Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal

The Union Minister for Food Processing Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal has said the union government is paying special attention to North East through its act east policy. Addressing a press conference after inaugurating the photo exhibition ‘Saal Ek Shuruaat Anek’ organised by DAVP, Kolkata in Gangtok today, the Minister said the centre has allocated Rs 53000 crore for development of NE states in the Union Budget including scholarship schemes for students and proposal to set up six agricultural universities and upgradation of power transmission in NE states with the sanction of Rs 10000 crore. The Minister said the people of the country have given a decisive mandate and formed the Modi government with the hope that the country will now see good days ahead. Smt Badal said, the photo exhibition has depicted government initiatives and schemes in various fields and this is just the beginning. The minister said that there was no scam and corruption in the last one year and because of a decisive leadership, there was no policy paralysis. She said, the Prime Minister’s visits abroad have increased the prestige and standing of the country in the international forum and Indians settled abroad have developed a sense of pride in their country. She said Make in India has become a reality with the world looking towards India with inflow of huge investment into the country. This will provide infrastructure and job opportunities to ensure growth and prosperity for everyone to develop equally with the concept of ‘Sab Ka Sath Sabka Bikash’.

The Union Minister further said the 14th Finance Commission recommendation have been accepted by the government ensuring devolution of more fund to the states and less with the centre so that the states can charter its own future and this will help Sikkim in taking forward its Organic Mission. She also appreciated the peace and tranquillity of this Himalayan state. The minister said both the centre and the state should work together for the progress of the people of the state.

To mark the completion of the one year of the new NDA government at the centre, the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India is organizing a pictorial exhibition entitled ‘Saal Ek Shuruaat Anek’ at the Children Park complex in Gangtok from today.

The exhibition will highlight the achievements of the Central Government in the last one year, the projects being undertaken and their execution with the goal of Saabka Saath Saabka Vikas. Government of India’s financial Inclusion and Security – Jan Dhan-se-Jan Suraksha, farmer’s Welfare including immediate relief to farmers affected by natural calamities, mainstreaming the deprived, Sushasan & Corruption free government, Saksham Bharat – Education and Skilling, Health Assurance to all, Swaach Bharat, Beti Padho-Beti-Bachao, Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam –Friendship on equal footing, Development of the North East, Transportation for transformation and economic rejuvenation, Make in India are the major initiatives and achievements of the government in the last one year.

*****

The Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal lighting the lamp to inaugurate the photo exhibition ‘Saal Ek Shuruaat Anek’, highlighting the achievements of one year of NDA Government, at Gangtok, in Sikkim on May 26, 2015.

The Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal visiting after inaugurating the photo exhibition ‘Saal Ek Shuruaat Anek’, highlighting the achievements of one year of NDA Government, at Gangtok, in Sikkim on May 26, 2015.

Ministry for Development of North-East Region
26-May, 2015 20:41 IST
Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates exhibition of Modi Govt achievements at Shillong

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today inaugurated an exhibition titled “Saal Ek, Shuruaat Anek” depicting achievements of one year of Modi government, at Shillong. On the first day of his three-day tour of North-East commemorating the completion of one year of Shri Narendra Modi government, Dr. Jitendra Singh held a meeting with Chief Minister Meghalaya Dr. Mukul Sangma, addressed a Press Conference in Shilling, Meghalaya.

During his meeting with Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Northeast is high on the priority of the present government and an essential component of Prime Minister’s India Vision. He said, it is an irony that Shillong does not have direct air connection with Delhi, in spite of the fact that it has been the most prominent destination in the Northeast ever since the British rule and was also the capital of erstwhile State of Assam. Dr. Jitendra Singh assured the CM that he will take up the issue with Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju and try to upgrade the airport for more frequent and bigger flights. Meanwhile, he recalled that a direct daily flight from Delhi to Dimapur, Nagaland had been started from 15th of April with the help of Indigo and an effort is also being made to start a weekly or biweekly flight from Delhi to Aizawl, Mizoram.

Shri Mukul Sangma pointed out to the requirement for better road network in view of frequent landslides in the State. In response, Dr. Jitendra Singh referred to an exclusive Northeast Road Corporation which is being envisaged to address the peculiar condition of road construction in the region and said, the government is also aware of the loss of life caused due to inadequate widening of the road and frequent landslides which sometimes also offer an opportunity for militant activities.

Speaking to media persons, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the concept paper for organic farming is already in circulation among the various Ministries and an attempt will be to bring it before the Cabinet at the earliest. This will be an important part of “Make in Northeast” mission under Shri Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” plan, he added. While inaugurating exhibition on the occasion of completion of one year of Modi government, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, this is a true depiction of the government’s vision for Northeast and reiteration of the fact that this is one of the best times for Northeast to grow and develop because it has the advantage of unlimited support and patronage from none less than the Prime Minister of India.

Addressing the Party workers, Dr Jitendra Singh said, it is the responsibility of each one of us to act as a messenger of Modi and travel to every nook and corner of country in order to make people aware of a series of pro-poor and pro-farmer schemes launched by the present government. He said, certain schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana had not achieved expected targets in the beginning, but in the last two months, due to proactive participation of the Karyakartas and with the help of bankers, these schemes have achieved almost 100% targets. Skill development programmes launched by the government will come as a big relief to the unemployed youth of Northeast and the social security schemes relating to insurance and pension will not only improve the social and economic status of people in the peripheral State, but also give them a feeling of belonging to the mainstream India. He told the Karyakartas that they should take active participation in the “DoNER at Doorstep” experiment launched by his Ministry and try to offer inputs to the DoNER officers during their forthcoming Camp Secretariat for Meghalaya in Shillong.

***

The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the photo exhibition ‘Saal Ek Shuruaat Anek’, organised by the DAVP, highlighting the achievements of one year of NDA Government, at Shillong on May 26, 2015.

The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh holding a meeting with the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Dr. Mukul Sangma and the State Administration, at Shillong on May 26, 2015.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Railways
27-May, 2015 19:18 IST
India – Bangladesh Inter Governmental Railway Meeting (IGRM) concludes in New Delhi

India – Bangladesh Inter Governmental Railway Meeting (IGRM) was held in New Delhi on May 25th – 27th, 2015. Besides officials of Indian Railways and Bangladesh Railway, representatives of departments of Customs, Immigration and External Affairs from both countries also participated in the deliberations.

During the course of extensive deliberations that were held in keeping with the established environment of mutual trust and co-operation between the two Railways, satisfaction was expressed at the implementation of the decisions taken in the last meeting, which was held in Dhaka in April 2014 to augment the frequency of Maitree Express to three round trips in a week with effect from 4th January 2015. As regards the need / feasibilities of increasing the frequency of this train to four times, it was agreed that Bangladesh Railway would conduct a due diligence exercise and revert to Indian Railways in due course. It was also agreed that both sides would further pursue the initiative to shift Customs and Immigration checks to Kolkata and Dhaka. To this end, IR expressed its readiness to convert Maitree Express into a fully air conditioned service.

In response to the popular demand and need for introduction of a weekly passenger service between Khulna and Kolkata, both sides agreed to expeditiously evaluate the feasibility of initially operating this once a week service via the longer Gede – Darsana route with an Indian Railways’ rake and review arrangements after issues relating to conduct of Customs and Immigration checks at Benapole/Petrapol or at Kolkata/Dhaka get settled.

The need for immediate introduction of Container train services between India and Bangladesh was reiterated by Indian Railways. It was appreciated by both sides that this would help in optimizing the level of trans-border clearance of goods and in bringing down the overall transaction cost for trade. Both railways also agreed to start transportation by rail of Petroleum products from Numaligarh Refinery in Assam to Parbatipur in Bangladesh via the existing interchange points at Rohanpur and Singhabad.

With a view to catalyze growth in trade between the two countries, the need for undertaking rail connectivity projects like Radhikapur (India) – Birol (Bangladesh), Chilahati (Bangladesh) – Haldibari (India), Shahbazpur (Bangladesh) – Mahisasan (India), Akhoura (Bangladesh) – Agartala (India) and Feni (Bangladesh) – Belonia (India) was appreciated by both sides.

In response to IR’s request for being allowed access to BR network for the purposes of carrying through traffic to and from its Eastern States, Bangladesh Railway agreed to have the proposal placed for due consideration at the appropriate levels of its Governments.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju visiting the proposed Indo-Bangladesh border trade, at Kawrpuichhuah, in Tlabung, Lunglei district, Mizoram on May 27, 2015.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Food Processing Industries
28-May, 2015 14:54 IST
Mega Food Park Inaugurated at Nalbari, Assam

To give a major boost to the food processing sector by adding value and reducing food wastage and loss at each stage of the supply chain with particular focus on perishables, Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing a Mega Food Park Scheme in the country since 2008. Financial assistance uptoRs. 50.00 Crore is provided for setting up Mega Food Parks for creation of modern infrastructure facilities for food processing along the value chain from farm to consumer. A Mega Food Park is set up in an area of a minimum of 50 acres. Common facilities and enabling infrastructure is created at Central Processing Centre and Infrastructure for primary processing and storage is created near the farm in the form of Primary Processing Centres (PPCs) and Collection Centres (CCs).

Ministry of Food Processing Industries had sanctioned a Mega Food Park to M/s North East Mega Food Park Pvt. Ltd. at Nalbari, Assam. The Central Processing Centre of the Park at Tihu in Nalbari District of Assam has been completed and was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister, Assam, Shri Tarun Gogoi and Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal today on 28th May 2015.Minister of State for Home Mr. Kiren Rijiju was also present to grace the occasion.

North East Mega Food Park has been set up in 50 acre of land at the cost of Rs. 76 crore.This project is having facilities of fully operational industrial sheds for SMEs, developed industrial plots for lease to food processing units, Dry Warehouse of 10000 MT, Cold Storages of 3000 MT, Common Effluent Treatment plant, Quality Control Labs etc. The Park also has a common administrative building for office and other uses by the entrepreneurs. 6 PPCs are also proposed to be set up at Nagaon, Badarpur, Tinsukia, Barapani, Krishnai and Kajalgaon which will provide facilities for primary processing and storage near the farms.

  Speaking on the occasion, Smt Badal said that the Mega Food Park will leverage an additional investment of about Rs. 250 crore in 30-35 food processing units in the Park and generate a turnover of about Rs. 450-500 Crore annually. The Park will also provide direct and indirect employment to 6000 people and benefit about 25000-30000 farmers in the CPC and PPC catchment areas.

Smt. Badal said that the modern infrastructure for food processing created at North East Mega Food Park will benefit the farmers, growers, processors and consumers of Assam and adjoining areas immensely and prove to be a big boost to the growth of the food processing sector in the State of Assam.

Minister of State for Home Mr. Kiren Rijiju said that the Mega Food Park shall go a long way in helping the farmers of the North East. He said that the NE Region has great potential for Food Processing and the Government has taken many steps to promote the Food Processing sector as well as Organic Farming in the region.

********

The Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal lighting the lamp at the inauguration of the North East Mega Food Park, at Nalbari district, Assam on May 28, 2015. The Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Tarun Gogoi and the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju are also seen.

The Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal addressing at the inauguration of the North East Mega Food Park, at Nalbari district, Assam on May 28, 2015. The Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Tarun Gogoi, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju and other dignitaries are also seen.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju addressing at the inauguration of the North East Mega Food Park, at Nalbari district, Assam on May 28, 2015. The Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal and other dignitaries are also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Home Affairs

30-May, 2015 13:32 IST
Memorandum of Understanding between India and Bangladesh on bilateral cooperation for prevention of human trafficking in women and children: rescue, recovery, repatriation and re-integration of victims of human trafficking

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on prevention of human trafficking especially trafficking in women and children: rescue, recovery, repatriation and reintegration of victims of human trafficking.

The salient features of the MoU are as follows:

i. To strengthen cooperation to prevent all forms of the human trafficking, especially that of women and children and ensure the speedy investigation and prosecution of traffickers and organized crime syndicates in either country;

ii. enumeration of preventive measures that would be taken to eliminate human trafficking in women and children and in protecting the rights of victims of trafficking; and

iii. repatriation of victims would be done as expeditiously as possible and the home country will undertake the safe and effective reintegration of the victims.

Background:

A Task Force of India and Bangladesh was constituted to take coordinated action against individuals/touts/agents involved in human trafficking and meetings of the Task Force are being held regularly. Accordingly, four meetings of the Task Force have been held so far.

During the fourth meeting of the Task Force which was held in Mumbai from 6-7th April, 2014, both sides reviewed the progress on decisions taken in the earlier meetings and held comprehensive discussions and finalized the text of the draft MOU on prevention of human trafficking.

***

Cabinet
30-May, 2015 13:29 IST
Agreement on Coastal Shipping between India and Bangladesh

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval to the agreement on Coastal Shipping between India and Bangladesh to carry out coastal movement of goods between the two countries.

Exim trade between India and Bangladesh would be benefited by way of reduction in freight charges. It will also improve the utilization of port capacities of Indian ports and open up new opportunity for Indian coastal vessels. It will also help in decongestion of roads especially at the Land custom stations/integrated check posts at the Indo-Bangladesh boarder.

The Indian ports serving as transshipment ports for Bangladesh cargo will derive benefits by way of enhanced throughput as a result of Indo-Bangladesh coastal trade.

India and Bangladesh shall render the same treatment to the other country's vessels as it would have done to its national vessels used in international sea transportation.

The commencement of coastal shipping between the India and Bangladesh will increase bilateral trade between the two countries and lower down the cost of transportation of Exim cargo.

Background:

India's trade with Bangladesh has grown rapidly during the past few years. Bangladesh is now India's largest trade partner in South Asia. The opening up of the coastal route between India and Bangladesh is expected to provide an alternative route for the transportation of Exim cargo between the two countries.

Currently there is no significant cargo movement between sea Ports of Bangladesh and India as it is not profitable for the big ocean going vessels to operate between the sea ports of the two countries. Therefore, to reduce the cost of shipping operation, a lower but pragmatic standard of vessel known as River Sea Vessel (RSV) has been prescribed for coastal shipping. The RSV category has significantly lower construction and operation cost without compromising on the safety of the vessel. For the Indo-Bangladesh coastal shipping, the RSV category of vessel has been agreed upon by both the countries.

***

The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Ananth Kumar lighting the lamp at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, in Guwahati on May 30, 2015. The Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Tarun Gogoi, the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (Independent Charge), Shri Sarbananda Sonowal and the MP, Guwahati, Smt. Bijoya Chakrabarty are also seen.

The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Ananth Kumar addressing at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, in Guwahati on May 30, 2015. The Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Tarun Gogoi and other dignitaries are also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

Bangladeshis shouldnt visit any of the Indian NE states. These places are full of backward people. Where these buses will be easy target for the ethnicity motivated barbaric hatemonger racist monsters. Only wb is secured in some sense where atleast 50% people are civilized race.

Bangladesh Cabinet approves three pacts - The Hindu

Updated: June 2, 2015 03:09 IST
Deals expected to boost bilateral trade
Bangladesh has taken up massive preparations to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his maiden visit to Dhaka on June 6.

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday, approved drafts of three agreements which will be signed during Mr. Modi’s visit.

The deals are expected to boost trade between the two countries. The agreement includes an understanding with Bangladesh Standard Testing Institution (BSTI) and Bureau of Indian Standard on cooperation in the field of standardisation and conformity, Cabinet Secretary M. Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told the media. With this, goods made in Bangladesh or India can be certified by either BSTI or BIS and will not require further verification.

The other two agreements are protocols for passenger bus services between Kolkata and Agartala via Bangladesh and from Dhaka to Guwahati via Shillong.

Like his predecessor, Dr Manmohan Singh, Mr. Modi will be accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will arrive here a day ahead on June 5, sources said.

Sources told The Hindu that Dhaka and New Delhi have negotiated a host of deals including agreement, protocol, memorandum on trade, connectivity, people-to-people contact, education and other areas to be signed during the presence of the two Prime Ministers.

Significantly an MoU on Passenger Movement in the Inland Water Routes and on the Coastal Shipping Routes will be signed by the two Prime Ministers.

An instrument related to the Land Boundary Agreement, ratified by Parliament recently, will also be exchanged during the signing ceremony.

Mr. Modi will visit the Martyrs memorial of the Bangladesh liberation war at Savar and Bangabandhu Museum, the historic house in Dhamnadi, where the founding father and president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in 1975.

Followed by official talks, a tete-a-tete between the two Prime Ministers will be held.

Mr. Modi will call on President Abdul Hamid and attend a congregation at the century-old Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka.

 

[Hindustani78]

BSF digs trenches to check cattle smuggling along Indo-Bangla border | Zee News

Angrail: The Border Security Force (BSF) has initiated unique measures to check rampant smuggling of cattle across the Indo-Bangla border by digging deep ditches and welding metal pipes to the border fence, an effort which has led to 90 percent decrease in the crime this year.


The border guarding force, over the last five months, has plugged some of the most vulnerable patches of this 4,096-km border by not only increasing troop strength but also providing them with more weapons, vehicles and a fresh fleet of fast attack motorboats to patrol riverine areas.

BSF officers deployed in this "most notorious and vulnerable" frontier area for cattle smuggling under the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal say after the new measures were initiated early this year, the instances and threat of smugglers attacking patrol parties has increased.

"We have put some innovative techniques to control cattle smuggling menace in these areas. While about 20 metre wide trenches have been dug just for almost 21-kms just behind the international border, GI pipes have been welded to existing metal fence as its barbed wire had already been cut by smugglers," BSF commanding officer of the area Barjender Singh said.

The village of Angrail made news in April this year after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh complimented BSF troops at this border post for cracking down on smugglers. The minister had asked them to further choke and bring a complete halt on this activity.

Angrail has a unique topography of being a thumb-shaped land mass surrounded from three sides by the Icchamati river which flows into both the countries.

The new measures to check cattle smuggling have brought good results, officers say.

"Cattle smuggling instances have gone down by over 90 per cent this year in our frontier. This frontier constitutes for 80 per cent of this illegal activity comprising districts of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad and Malda," BSF Inspector General (South Bengal Frontier) Sandeep Salunke told a visiting group of journalists at his headquarters in Kolkata.

These innovative and low cost solutions like digging ditches and improvising fence security by welding GI pipes about 2-feet above the ground, Salunke said, has "shown very good results" in checking the illegal activity.

BSF officials cited local intelligence and Bangladesh media reports to say that prices of beef in the neighbouring country has shot up by double in the last few months.

"The earnings in Bangladesh through this illegal trade was about Rs 30 crore during the first five months of 2014 and in the corresponding period this year, the figures are just Rs 5 crore," officials said citing latest data.

Salunke, who has asked his force commanders to tour these

areas more often in the light of the government's new action plan, said the force has begun noticing some renewed incidents of violence against its troops due to "desperation" brewing amongst smugglers.

"There has been serious and grave provocation from the smugglers to our troops...It's a huge challenge for our troops to operate here. Almost every day we are getting attacked when smugglers or their associates are challenged. 40 of my men on border duty have been injured seriously or very seriously while two have been killed in this pursuit till now in 2015," the IG said.

He said over 32,000 cattle have been seized and stopped from being crossed over this year by the BSF in this sector.

Force commanders at various locations along the Indo-Bangla border like Gojadanga, Hakimpura, Panitar and Angrail told PTI that not only the force strength has been bolstered, troops have been provided with additional assortment of non-lethal weapons, stun and chilli grenades and communication gadgets to not only stop smugglers but also apprehend them quickly.

"The operational strengths of BSF companies located along the notorious areas of this border have been enhanced to 90 personnel from the earlier about 70. Also, three fast attack patrol boats have been deployed along the riverine areas of Icchamati river to keep a check on smugglers who especially get active during night," a senior BSF commander said.

A new base camp and jetty along this river has been created by the BSF in this area where night water patrols are a norm now.

During his tour to the area, Rajnath was taken by the BSF to see the riverine front which has as many as 150 "exit points" from the river bank in just an area of 2-kms exploited by smugglers to push cattle across.

IG Salunke said the futuristic need of this border is to have a 'smart fence' based on satellite data and imagery as the 915.88-km long South Bengal frontier has 384-km border as riverine and cultivation and habitation is right upto, and at few locations, inside the zero line of the international border making matters worse for the BSF to check on border crimes.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

Indo-Bangla border: 70K people in 'no man's land' keep IB porous | Zee News

Zero Point (Indo-Bangla border): Not covered by the historic Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, about 260 Indian villages with a total of 70,000 residents which lie in the 'no man's land' between the two countries continue to pose a vexed challenge for troops looking to secure the border against smuggling and influx of fake currency.


While the LBA provides for the activation of the 1974 India-Bangladesh agreement for exchange of 161 border enclaves adversely-held by the the two neighbours, an exact solution to the vexed status of these villages situated just ahead of the International Border (IB) fence remains hanging fire.

"There are villages which are located ahead of the border fence and are different from the areas which are covered under the LBA. Shifting these villages inside the IB will be very useful. We have taken up the matter a number of times with the authorities but there has been no progress.

"The population living in these villages is vulnerable to a number of unlawful acts and attempts from the other side," BSF Inspector General (South Bengal Frontier), Sandeep Salunke, said at his headquarters in Kolkata.

BSF troops deployed along the 'first main pillar' of the Indo-Bangladesh border at Panitar here showed PTI how the meandering IB leads to a unique situation wherein two adjoining houses, separated by a mere 10-metres between them, come under the jurisdiction of either country.

Along this 4,096-km long border, BSF officials say, there are about 260 villages with about 70,000 men, women and children living in them.

In the South Bengal corridor alone -- comprising the border crime prone areas of North 24 and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad and Malda districts -- there are 54 such villages with a population of 30,074 living in 4,749 houses.

"This is like living on no man's land. The problem is historic and border-guarding troops face some unique challenges for which we have deployed dynamic strategies like maintaining photographic registers and regularly identifying and updating data to know who is new to the area," BSF Commanding Officer Ratnesh Kumar said after undertaking a routine tour of Chakpanitar village.

IG Salunke said that as the number of these villages is "not very big", a lasting solution for effective border management would be to bring them inside the border fence.

"This has been our repeated request, but there has been no solution... The people who live in these villages do not want to shift elsewhere as they have their life-long investments here. Incidents of smuggling and crime are serious concerns in these areas," he said.

BSF troops and officers say they detect several instances every day of smuggling of basic food items, cigarettes and household goods in these areas with the women and children living in these villages made to act as couriers for such activities.

Forces' Deputy Inspector General (Intelligence), SP Tiwari, said operating in such circumstances has led to the filing of as many as 153 cases of harassment or illegal entry against BSF personnel in the last 2-3 years, something which is demoralising for the troops.

IG Salunke said that a 200-km section of the border fence on the 915-km-long South Bengal sector of the Indo-Bangladesh border is in a "state of very urgent maintenance" as a physical barrier is required where there is population living on the frontier.

"But there are no funds available for maintenance of this for at least a decade now," Salunke said.

BSF also wants to fence the riverine areas of this border for effectively dominating the area and hence a pilot project for installation of an embedded under-water fence is currently on in the Gojadanga area in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

"The CPWD is working on something called the 'infinium' or 'infinite aluminium' fence for the riverine border areas. It is just at the pilot project stage as of now," he said.

The major crimes in these villages include smuggling from Bangladesh into India of a variety of goods, fake Indian currency notes and gold, officials said. There are also cases of illegal border crossing, fence breaching and kidnapping of locals.

"I was abducted by Bangladeshi people when I was working in my field ahead of the fence last year. The other side had some problems after (Indian) security agencies picked up some of their men. I was released after languishing two months in captivity in Bangladesh," said Tapas Ghosh, a resident of Noonaganj village.

The illegal traffic from the Indian side into Bangladesh includes cattle, Phensedyl cough syrup (abused as a narcotic in Bangladesh), drugs, gold and silver ornaments and automobile parts.

"The ethnic similarity between the people on the two sides, their similar language and dialect, the presence of cattle 'haats' along border areas -- these are some of the factors that render these villages vulnerable to crime while at the same time making it difficult for BSF to mount an effective vigil," a BSF officer said.

An early resolution vis-a-vis the status of these villages will bring sanctity to the International Border here, the officer added.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

Yes seal the border, electrify it, mine it as well.
We absolutely hate India

‘Improving connectivity between India and Bangladesh for progress’ - The Hindu

Updated: June 4, 2015 08:20 IST
Improving connectivity between India and Bangladesh can add to the dynamism of economic and social progress in both the countries as well as their eastern and south-astern neighbours, according to a report released by multidisciplinary think tank Observer Research Foundation here on Tuesday.

Released just days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh on June 5, the report — ‘India-Bangladesh connectivity: Possibilities and challenges’ — recommends steps that both the countries can take in four aspects of connectivity — rail and road, waterways, energy sector connectivity and border management. The year-long project is part of a broader three-series project which seeks to examine India’s links with Bangladesh, Myanmar and China.

Authored by Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhary and Pratnashree Basu, researched by Garima Sarkar and supervised by Rakhahari Chatterji; the report assesses the benefits and adverse impacts of cross-border connectivity, keeping in mind the complex issues of security, environment, displacement and rehabilitation. The report was released by former Army chief General Shankar Roychowdhury.

Talking about the report, Ms. Basu Ray Chaudhary said the biggest challenge after Mr. Modi signs the Land Boundary Agreement during his visit to Bangladesh would be to conceive durable rehabilitation packages.

 

[Hindustani78]

Forest officials showing tortoises recovered near Indo - Bangladesh border in Agartala.

Jun 5, 2015

As the historic land boundary agreement will be signed between India and Bangladesh, here is a collection of images from the 4,096-km frontier.

Tripura-Banglad

Assam-Bangladesh

Assam-Bangladesh

Meghalaya-Bangla_

Meghalaya-Bangla

Assam-Bangladesh

Meghalaya-Bangla

 

[Hindustani78]

Floating aluminium fence to come up along Bangla border | Zee News

Zero Poin: The BSF is working on a project to erect a floating fence made of aluminium to plug holes along the large riverine West Bengal- Bangladesh border.


The 'pilot project' for erecting this light-weight fence, half submerged in water, is underway in the Gojadanga border area near here where both the land and riverine International Border (IB) between the two countries meet at a place called Panitar.

"The project is being undertaken by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) in the border areas. The force is using various technical gadgets and techniques to secure this border which has a large percentage of riverine areas and is more difficult to guard as compared to the land areas," BSF Inspector General (South Bengal Frontier) Sandeep Salunke told PTI at its headquarters in Kolkata.

Officials manning the frontier here said Gojadanga, in the North 24 Parganas district, has been picked for the project as the riverine areas of Icchamati river here are the most challenging given the difficult terrain and topography.

"The aluminium fence being tested here is called 'infinium' and it will entail erecting long poles of the metal held up straight by a reinforced mixture of concrete and cement under the water.

"Such a fence is expected to be tensile in strength and at par with steel. As it is aluminium, it is also considered corrosion and rust proof which is a big requirement for such assets submerged in saline waters here," the official said.

BSF commanders said the fence will have an inter-twining of concertina wires and will have colour coding to denote its location during high-tide.

They said 'infinium' was also chosen to be tested in these areas as it is recyclable and not hazardous and will help in keeping safe the fragile environment of the Sunderbans where large parts of the 4,096 km Indo-Bangla border run.

IG Salunke said while the force has deployed three floating border posts (large patrol ships) to keep a vigil in these areas, the vessels are not a fool-proof solution for keeping the area safe and secure.

"This fence test, if successful, will give us an edge vis-a-vis maintaining the sanctity of the border. However, even when it is erected after final approvals, we will require patrolling to see it is not damaged by illegal elements," he said.

The futuristic needs of this border, the IG said, is to have a 'smart fence' based on satellite data and imagery as the 384 km of 915.88 km-long South Bengal frontier is in the riverine areas. Cultivation and habitation in this area are right upto the border and, at a few locations, inside the zero line of the IB, making it difficult for the force to keep a check on border crimes.

PTI