Border fencing picks up pace in N 24 Pgns

Kolkata: Bengal has sped up barbed-wire fencing along vulnerable parts of the India-Bangladesh border in North 24 Parganas to curb illegal infiltration. This comes after CM Suvendu Adhikari announced expedited hand over of land to the Border Security Force (BSF). Around 51 km of the nearly 150-km stretch from Bongaon to Hingalganj-Samsernagar remains unfenced, administrative sources say. Discussions among police, BSF and locals are underway on the hand over of fertile agricultural land to the administration.BSF officials said the 96-km long Swarupnagar to Samserganj stretch, including 46 km along the Icchamati River, are highly sensitive and remain under strict surveillance. Basirhat SP Alaknanda Vhowal recently inspected the area along with BSF officials.Farmers along the Basirhat sector have raised concerns about the land acquisition because parts of their farmland lie beyond the existing fence near Bangladesh's Satkhira district. For now, these farmers submit identity documents to border guards to cross the border to work on their fields.In Bongaon, around 24 acres land would be required for fencing. Authorities have received farmers' consent for 20 acres. Discussions are on with other farmers, authorities said.