GUWAHATI, July 26 � Cattle smuggling to Bangladesh always remains a major cause of concern, but what is more disturbing is that items distributed through the Public Distribution System (PDS) at subsidized rates to poor families as well as seeds distributed free of cost to the farmers are also being smuggled out to the neighbouring country.
Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that a number of PDS items, particularly blue kerosene and sugar are being smuggled out to Bangladesh, which is a major cause of concern. Sources said that there should be a proper survey of the people living in the char areas located near the international border and ration cards should be issued accordingly so that the allocation of food items is fully need-based. Only the Border Security Force (BSF) cannot stop smuggling of PDS items as it is done in small quantities and not in bulk and there is need for coordination among the district administration, police and the BSF to check the menace.
Sources revealed that there have been instances of seed distributed to the farmers free of cost being smuggled out of the country and to deal with this problem also, proper coordination is required. The boats plying between Dhubri town and the chars located near the international border should be checked thoroughly by the authorities concerned, sources added.
Though seizures of cattle by the BSF along the international border increased substantially and the border guarding force seizes cattle worth more than Rs 2 crore along the international border every year, the problem has not been checked completely. Sources said that cattle smuggling should be taken seriously by the Government as it can have other ramifications as there have been instances when the BSF seized fake Indian currency notes from cattle smugglers and thus cattle trade poses the risk of sustaining a flourishing fake currency racket. Sources said that the militants can also take the help of cattle smugglers to cross the international border or to smuggle in weapons to India. Moreover, as the BSF hands over the seized cattle to the Customs department for auctioning the same off, the possibility of the smugglers purchasing the same cannot be ruled out. Sources said that the laws need to be made more stringent to prevent cattle smuggling as no one can be booked under the present laws if the cattle are not seized right on the zero line.
Recently the BSF seized a huge number of boats used for smuggling out forest produces including stones and timber from the West Khasi Hills area which proved that smuggling of forest produce is going on. Though the BSF carries out patrolling on the riverine international border, this is not adequate and there is need for increasing police vigil on the banks of the river on the Indian side to deal with smuggling through the river routes, sources added.
Sources said that to improve the situation, the work of fencing the international border should be expedited and there should be a second line of defence behind the BSF all along the international border. More police stations can be set up on the banks of the river Brahmaputra so that the riverine border is guarded properly, while security vigil on the chars needs to be intensified immediately, sources said. It may be mentioned here that the BSF has also been stressing the need for a second line of defence to improve border management and the issue has been raised by the senior officers of the border guarding force on different occasions at various levels.
GUWAHATI, July 26 � Cattle smuggling to Bangladesh always remains a major cause of concern, but what is more disturbing is that items distributed through the Public Distribution System (PDS) at subsidized rates to poor families as well as seeds distributed free of cost to the farmers are also being smuggled out to the neighbouring country.
Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that a number of PDS items, particularly blue kerosene and sugar are being smuggled out to Bangladesh, which is a major cause of concern. Sources said that there should be a proper survey of the people living in the char areas located near the international border and ration cards should be issued accordingly so that the allocation of food items is fully need-based. Only the Border Security Force (BSF) cannot stop smuggling of PDS items as it is done in small quantities and not in bulk and there is need for coordination among the district administration, police and the BSF to check the menace.
Sources revealed that there have been instances of seed distributed to the farmers free of cost being smuggled out of the country and to deal with this problem also, proper coordination is required. The boats plying between Dhubri town and the chars located near the international border should be checked thoroughly by the authorities concerned, sources added.
Though seizures of cattle by the BSF along the international border increased substantially and the border guarding force seizes cattle worth more than Rs 2 crore along the international border every year, the problem has not been checked completely. Sources said that cattle smuggling should be taken seriously by the Government as it can have other ramifications as there have been instances when the BSF seized fake Indian currency notes from cattle smugglers and thus cattle trade poses the risk of sustaining a flourishing fake currency racket. Sources said that the militants can also take the help of cattle smugglers to cross the international border or to smuggle in weapons to India. Moreover, as the BSF hands over the seized cattle to the Customs department for auctioning the same off, the possibility of the smugglers purchasing the same cannot be ruled out. Sources said that the laws need to be made more stringent to prevent cattle smuggling as no one can be booked under the present laws if the cattle are not seized right on the zero line.
Recently the BSF seized a huge number of boats used for smuggling out forest produces including stones and timber from the West Khasi Hills area which proved that smuggling of forest produce is going on. Though the BSF carries out patrolling on the riverine international border, this is not adequate and there is need for increasing police vigil on the banks of the river on the Indian side to deal with smuggling through the river routes, sources added.
Sources said that to improve the situation, the work of fencing the international border should be expedited and there should be a second line of defence behind the BSF all along the international border. More police stations can be set up on the banks of the river Brahmaputra so that the riverine border is guarded properly, while security vigil on the chars needs to be intensified immediately, sources said. It may be mentioned here that the BSF has also been stressing the need for a second line of defence to improve border management and the issue has been raised by the senior officers of the border guarding force on different occasions at various levels.
