Agartala, Dec. 29: The erection of barbed wire fence on Tripura?s long and porous border with Bangladesh has run into troubled waters over land acquisition and related problems. The 856-km international border in the state runs through 15 subdivisions. At many places, houses, schools and government offices have fallen outside the line marked for the fence.
The issue came up for discussion in the Assembly today with PCC president Birajit Sinha pointing out that resentment was running high at many places over the issue and people were contemplating launching an agitation to protest the construction of the fence.
Initiating the discussion on a short notice motion moved by the Opposition Congress, finance and PWD minister Badal Chowdhury said construction of barbed wire fence on 736 km of the border had begun following a decision by the Union government in June 2000.
Altogether five organisations, including central and state PWD, National Building Construction Corporation and the National Project Construction Corporation (NPCC), had been entrusted with the task.
Chowdhury said construction of fence on 57.67 km has been completed and the work would be completed by June 2007. He, however, admitted that there were problems of land acquisition and eviction of people from the border.
?The source of the problem is the 150 yards that is required to be maintained between the border and the fence,? he said, adding that the matter had been discussed at a meeting in Delhi on November 5 where it was decided that the rule would be relaxed in thickly-populated areas.
Chowdhury said in four subdivisions, Sonamura, Bishalgarh, Khowai and Kamalpur, the fencing would be reviewed and added that the government has urged the Centre to pay compensation to the affected people.