Kolkata, Jan 25 (IANS): Along with erecting fencing along the India-Bangladesh border, the Border Security Force (BSF) has also installed a smart surveillance system to further enhance vigil, especially in smuggling, crime and infiltration-prone areas, BSF's Inspector General, Tripura Frontier, Susanta Kumar Nath said on Tuesday.
He said that 95 smart surveillance cameras were installed in 24 locations along Tripura's 856 km border with Bangladesh.
Talking to the media, Nath said that the BSF has taken several initiatives in completing the work of erecting barbed wire fencing as well as by deploying technological intervention and other measures along the borders.
"In 2021, eight pending gaps of Single Row Fence (SRF) have been fully completed and plugged. Similarly, the SRF work is in progress in other stretches. The BSF is trying to complete the fencing works in the entire international border in Tripura by this year," he said.
The senior BSF officer said that the BSF has also taken initiatives at the local level to plug the 'nullah' (drains) and culvert gaps, particularly in the eastern part of the state and so far blocked 44 such gaps by fixing iron gates.
He said that last year, the BSF seized huge quantity of contraband valued at around Rs 35.64 crore including various highly addictive narcotics valued at around Rs 14 crore.
As part of the BSF's drive against drugs menace, the paramilitary troopers conducted special drives in many bordering areas and destroyed 45,07,039 ganja (marijuana) plantations.
BSF Tripura Frontier has apprehended 221 people, including 97 Bangladeshi and six other foreign nationals while attempting illegal crossing of border in 2021 against 128 people detained in 2020.
The BSF IG said that as part of the confidence building measures with Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), innumerous initiatives were taken in the last year. These include meetings at the Inspectors General, Region Commanders, Sector levels, organising football matches, joint cultural events and "Maitree Cycle Rally".
The BSF and BGB jointly celebrated the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh liberation war, Independence Day and Republic Day of India and other events.