NEW DELHI : Union home minister Amit Shah has directed the district magistrates to monitor and report on demographic changes occurring in border districts, a government release issued on Saturday quoted Shah as saying, adding that he also directed setting up of Security Coordination Groups in every border district.
Shah, who held a meeting with state government officials, BSF, district magistrates (DMs) and police chiefs of the border districts in Gujarat on Saturday, also stated that administrations of border districts should formulate SOPs to ensure identification of existing infiltrators and the tracking of threats related to drones and narcotics, the release added.
District Magistrates must strictly monitor and regularly report on demographic changes occurring in border districts, the release said.
“The HM said that in the border districts, the effective enforcement of Income Tax, anti-money laundering, and Customs laws should rest with the District Magistrate (DM), Superintendent of Police (SP) and Inspector General (IG), Border Range,” the release said.
It added that the Security Coordination Groups would comprise the BSF, Coast Guard, Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate and the managers of leading banks in the area. This is the first time that such a group of officials from different wings of the government is being established.
Earlier this week, the home minister had announced the formation of a high-level committee to assess demographic changes across India due to “illegal immigration and other unnatural causes” and suggest measures to deal with the issue.
Shah is currently touring the western frontier along the India-Pakistan border, where he has been interacting with BSF personnel and chairing security review meetings.
“The HM visit is likely to reach West Bengal on June 15 and stay for a few days… He will visit some of the districts among the nine districts where fencing work has resumed,” an official aware of the matter said, adding that he may hold meetings with the chief secretaries of West Bengal, Assam and Tripura to discuss efforts to tackle infiltration, identify and counter attempts to alter the demographic composition.
The official added that DMs of Bengal’s border districts could also be asked to attend the review meeting, which is expected to focus on infiltration, border fencing, demographic changes and removing illegal encroachments within 15 km along the international border. Unlike the western frontier, such encroachments are plenty along the Indo-Bangladesh border in the eastern frontier. Shah also spoke about removing illegal encroachments in his Saturday meeting in Gujarat.
On Friday, Shah said the Centre was working to completely replace the existing concept of border security with a new “territorial security” framework that will integrate the public, civil administration, local police, the military and the BSF into a unified security grid along India’s borders.
The official said that fencing work along the Indo-Bangadesh border has already resumed in the nine districts of West Bengal, which was stalled for almost 16 years. Over the last three weeks, the state government has handed over at least 142 acres of land, while paperwork to hand over 450 acres more is underway. “After physically taking possession of the land, the PWD has started fencing in districts such as Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, North 24 Parganas. The HM could share details of the new smart fencing project during his visit in West Bengal or the new concept of territorial security which is part of a quadrangular security grid involving the public, army, civil administration, police and BSF,” the official added.
A government statement said that in his meeting on Saturday, Shah stressed on the need to maintain a close watch on centres of radicalisation in border areas. “He directed district magistrates to strictly monitor and regularly report on demographic changes. Everyone—from police station to patwari—should work in unison to ensure deportation of already settled illegal infiltrators.
He said that local administrations should formulate SOPs for specific challenges and requirements of each border district, to ensure identification of existing infiltrators and threats related to drones and narcotics. Agencies combating financial crimes should be kept apprised regarding border areas,” a government statement said, adding that the I-T department and RBI should conduct extensive survey campaigns in the border areas.
