Jalpaiguri, Sept. 22 -- Tension has resurfaced in South Berubari panchayat area under Jalpaiguri Kotwali police station over the proposed border fencing and road construction, after a fresh BSF survey raised fears that several houses could fall beyond the proposed fence, towards Bangladesh.
In Naljoyapara, residents fear that 34 houses could fall within the 150-metre no-man's land on the Bangladesh side following the latest measurement. The development has also alarmed 91 families in four other villages - Ghagaria, Foudar Para, Natun Basti and Burirjote. Residents have warned of strong resistance if the BSF conducts fresh measurements in their areas.
The villages of Barashashi, Chilahati, Kajaldighi and Naotari Debottar have long faced problems over their disputed status. Though they remained within India after Independence, residents claim they were not shown on Indian maps for years. Land records of several residents still mention Boda police station in Bangladesh, making land transactions difficult.
Around 19 km of the international border in the area remains unfenced. Last year, the district administration and Land Acquisition Department conducted a survey, keeping houses, schools and ICDS centres outside the proposed alignment for the fencing and border road. Concrete pillars were subsequently installed, assuring residents that their houses would remain outside the 150-metre no-man's land.
However, a few days ago, BSF personnel and Block Land and Land Reforms Department officials conducted another survey at Naljoyapara. Residents alleged that the latest measurement ignored the earlier alignment and marked the 150-metre boundary afresh using temporary bamboo markers. As a result, 34 houses may now fall beyond the proposed fencing.
On Monday, residents of the four villages held a meeting with local panchayat member Dofru Ray.
"The earlier alignment prepared by the district administration, keeping the houses safe, must be followed for the road and fencing. If officials come for a fresh survey without protecting the houses, the villagers will be forced to put up strong resistance," Ray said. Jalpaiguri District Land and Land Reforms Officer Dr Harish Rashid said he was unaware of any fresh survey. He said the process of resolving land-related issues in the disputed villages of South Berubari and preparing a new Indian mouza map was still underway.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.