Assam's new force to stop other states from encroaching

Though late, Assam has decided to roll up its sleeves and take measures to protect its borders from rising encroachment by the neighbouring states.

The Border Area Development Department has given thrust on the setting up a Border Protection Force, which will exclusively guard the inter-state borders of Assam.

Highly-placed official sources told rediff.com that the BPF would be set up to protect Assam's inter-state borders from continuous encroachment by the neighbouring states and the issue had been brought to the notice of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

The proposed BPF will man Assam's inter-state borders, prevent skirmishes along the borders and deal with the encroachers.  

According to recent official figures, a combined area of 85,446.42 hectares of Assam was encroached upon by Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

The break-up: Nagaland-66, 151 hectares, Arunachal Pradesh-11, 519.76 hectares, Meghalaya-5,789.66 hectares and Mizoram-1,986 hectares.

Of the 5,927 hectares area in the Geleki reserve forest in Upper Assam's Sivasagar district, around 4,000 hectares were encroached upon by Nagaland, official figures stated.

Border Area Development Department sources said that the encroachment problem in the border areas of Assam, which is more serious along the Nagaland border, is mostly encouraged by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM).

"Most of these Naga encroachers are very aggressive and it is sure that these people have the backing of the Naga insurgent groups. This is a serious matter," official sources said.

Well-trained members would be recruited in the proposed BPF, official sources said.

"Through this new security unit, we can also give employment to a large number of unemployed youth in the state," sources added.

To develop the inter-state border areas in Assam, the Border Area Development Department has placed Rs 1000 crore supplementary demand to the state government, which would be mainly for development of roads, culverts, electricity supply, border outposts, schools and others in the inter-state border areas.

"Border encroachment problem is severe in Assam due to lack of development measures initiated by Dispur along its inter-State border," official sources added.