HM reviews operational preparedness of BSF

New Delhi, Jan 11 (PTI) Home Minister P Chidambaram todayreviewed the operational preparedness of the BSF which guardscrucial Indian borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Chidambaram along with senior officials of the HomeMinistry and BSF spent more than three hours here at theheadquarters of the force, where he was given a presentationon its deployment and other operational aspects.

Anti-Maoist operations and coordination with state policeand para-military officers of Naxal-affected states were alsodiscussed, sources said.

The Border Security Force has deployed around fivebattalions (5,000 personnel) for undertaking anti-naxaloperations.

Today''s meeting comes against the backdrop of a similarhigh-level conclave (chaired by Chidambaram) of DirectorsGeneral and Inspectors General of Operations of states likeChhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradeshand Maharashtra, and chiefs of paramilitary forces like CRPF,BSF, ITBP and SSB, yesterday at CRPF headquarters whereoperational strategies were discussed.

Topics like joint operations in close coordination offorces at inter-state borders and improvement of livingconditions of personnel deployed for anti-Naxal operationswere also understood to have been discussed, they said.

Maintaining easy and quick serviceability of helicoptersfor air support for supplementing troops and casualtyevacuation were also believed to have been discussed as theair wing in naxal states is under the command of the BSF.

Over 60,000 central paramilitary forces have beenassisting the state police forces in these states to undertakecounter-Maoist offensives.

Naxal violence has claimed lives of over 10,000 civiliansand security personnel in the last five years.

Of the 10,268 casualties between 2005 and May 2010, 2,372deaths have been reported in 2009 against 1,769 in 2008 and1,737 in 2007.

The Government has been maintaining that accelerateddevelopment and calibrated police action are the two pillarsof its anti-Naxal policy.