Centre to consider compensation in Bangla-border fencing

Aizawl, Feb 27 (UNI) Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Veen Sikri said the problem of compensation that has arisen because of fencing the Bangladesh border is being seriously looked into by the Home ministry.

After being apprised by the Mizoram state officials here about the problems of people living in the border areas between India and Bangladesh as a result of the border fencing in Mizoram, Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya, Ms Sikri said New Delhi was aware of it and related issues has already been taken up by the Home ministry.

Soon after the border fencing began last year, farm lands and even some villages in the border areas had come outside the fence in the four states that have borders with Bangladesh resulting in great problems for these people living near the border.

The people living near the border areas need to work inside the fence, hence the affected people had been demanding some sort of compensation.

In Mizoram, people living in Tlabung (Demagiri) constituency have been severely affected as the gates provided in the fence entail traversing long distances to get to farm lands.

Ms Sikri said the fence needs to be placed at least 150 yards from the actual border as it could create tensions between the two countries. But she said the fence had been erected much closer to the actual border in some places where the topography is not suitable or where it would displace people.

UNI SNR SP AKP0956