Border fencing issues discussed in Assam Assembly

Guwahati, Apr 1 (UNI) The incomplete border fencing issue along Assam portion of the Indo-Bangladesh border dominated Assembly proceedings in Assam today, with the Opposition taking a dig at the government for failing to meet time-bound completion.

During the Question Hour AGP legislator Dr Alaka Sharma urged the departmental minister to ensure that the work was completed at the earliest and stressed on the need to keep a tab on progress of work.

Assam Accord Implementation Minister Dr Bhumidhar Barman, replying to Dr Sharma's question, informed that 85 per cent of the fencing work assigned to Assam PWD had been completed.

He added that the NBCC, which is the other agency involved in border fencing construction work, has been asked about the progress of work by the state government but no reply had been received yet.

Altogether 267.30 km of Indo-Bangladesh border falls under Assam portion, of which 40 per cent (107 km) is classified as riverine border, Dr Barman informed.

The border fencing issue also figured in the Zero Hour discussions with AGP legislator Girindra Kumar Barua raising the matter.

Border fencing was a clause in the historic Assam Accord, with the issue gaining such prominence as infiltration continues unabated through the porous borders.

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