Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said the porous Indo-Bangladesh border would have to be sealed completely to find a permanent solution to infiltration and threat to the national security.
"The BJP-led regime in the state attaches top priority to seal the Indo-Bangladesh border to make Assam free from illegal immigrants. This has been a long-cherished dream of all sections of the people of Assam to insulate the border to make the state free from illegal immigrants", he said.
He urged the people living along the India-Bangladesh border in Karimganj, Dhubri and Mancachar to support the government in its attempt to strengthen the border security.
"The government will take exhaustive and all-inclusive measure to seal the porous border on a war footing. We also seek people's cooperation in fortifying the border to create a protective shield against all cross-border movements, including smuggling," said the Chief Minister.
He said a big portion of the border in the riverine area of Hatichar under the Mancachar sector was porous.
He said there were many areas in Assam, where large portion of border remained unfenced, posing a serious challenge, but his government would appraise the Centre and would demand immediate measures.
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"We have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh to entrust the construction of the fencing of the India-Bangladesh border to the Indian Army. It is a challenge to control the situation in both riverine as well as land areas, but we have to make a scientific and modern approach to find a solution," Sonowal said in Hatichar.
Hatichar falls under the South Salmara-Mancachar district. Sonowal inspected the riverine area from Boreralga to Hatichar, a stretch of about 25 km along the border.
Boreralga village is close to Hatsingimari, the district headquarters of South Salmara-Mancachar.
A delegation of the All Assam Student Union (AASU), Commissioner (Home) L.S. Changsan, BSF DIG K.K. Gulia, Commandant 57 BSF Sanjay Sharma, Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay, host of legislators, senior police and administration officials accompanied the Chief Minister on his trip to the riverine area.
Inspecting the border area, Sonowal said the current fencing and the security apparatus in the border was not adequate to protect the Indian territory from the impending threat. He made particular reference of infiltration and cattle smuggling, which was going unabated and unchecked.
Last night, BSF jawans deployed in the Dhubri sector of Assam reportedly apprehended 260 cattle valued approximately Rs. 22 lakhs and arrested an Indian national, Rahim Badsha.
BSF officials said cattle are being apprehended on regular basis, but taking advantage of the porous border smugglers manage to continue with the illegal trade.
The cattle smuggling, along Dhubri, South Salmara-Mancachar in Assam and South West Garo Hills in Meghalaya, is all time high as the price of cattle fetches double the price in Bangladesh.