SHILLONG: The Border Security Force (BSF) has declared the international border along Meghalaya to be firmly under control, achieving a significant milestone with over 90 percent of the border fencing now completed.
In a major breakthrough against cross-border crime, the notorious cattle smuggling hub in East Jaintia Hills has been completely blocked, effectively ending illegal trade in the sector.
Senior BSF officials reported that the sealing of the border from Rattacherra to Haria marks a substantial success. Once the principal transit point for cattle smuggling, East Jaintia Hills is now fully secured, with not a single head of cattle crossing the border in this region.
The main remaining challenge for fencing lies between Jaliakhola and Dawki.
Although the BSF has acquired the necessary land for the remaining stretches, minor delays have arisen due to ongoing land compensation disputes. Border authorities also underscored the need to comply with international conventions, which prohibit fencing within 150 meters of the Zero Line.
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Officials urged local residents to understand these requirements, assuring them that such measures are in place for national and community security.
Addressing concerns about agricultural land located beyond the 150-meter fencing zone, the BSF reaffirmed its commitment to protecting farmers’ interests. Sufficient gates are being provided to enable seamless access to these lands, with similar arrangements already functioning successfully in multiple sectors.
In Meghalaya, villages such as Nandichargi, Tungichar, and areas in Baghmara and Karaigora lie beyond the fence, but residents continue to receive full protection from security forces.
To further facilitate agricultural activities in these forward areas, the BSF has implemented the ‘Kisan Ghar’ system, stationing permanent guards wherever farmland lies ahead of the fencing.
Locals are free to tend their farms beyond the fence under BSF protection, a system already active in the Garo Hills and East Jaintia Hills sectors.
Of Meghalaya’s total 444-kilometer border stretch, more than 90 percent is now fenced. Approximately 37 kilometers remain, with 7 kilometers currently under construction, leaving about 29 kilometers yet to be addressed. Most unfinished work is concentrated in West Jaintia Hills (Jaliakhola to Dawki), with only a minimal 2-kilometer gap remaining in Pyrdiwah, East Khasi Hills.
To secure vulnerable riverine gaps, the BSF has deployed high-speed motorboats to patrol the waterways, making infiltration or illegal crossings extremely difficult. Expressing optimism, the BSF stated that it expects to complete all remaining fencing in the coming years.
(4FrontMedia news)
