A marine battalion comprising more than 1,100 personnel, a squadron of about 40 drones and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are part of a plan devised by the BSF.

Marine Battalion, Drone Squadron To Secure Sundarbans

A marine battalion comprising more than 1,100 personnel, a squadron of about 40 drones and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are part of a plan devised by the BSF to secure the strategic Sunderbans mangrove region along the India-Bangladesh border against smuggling and infiltration. The blueprint of the plan has been prepared by the Eastern Command of the border force based in Kolkata and a final approval and financial sanction from the Union Home Ministry in Delhi is awaited, official sources told PTI.

The Sunderbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest cover region is an archipelago of over 100 islands and a complex network of streams, rivers, tidal creeks and channels spread over an area of 9,630 sq km in India. The rest falls in Bangladesh. The BSF, at present, patrols the Sunderbans area with a fleet of about 50 small and large speedboats and vessels. The vessels are called floating border outposts (BoPs).

The border force is tasked with guarding the entire 4,096 km of the India-Bangladesh border on India’s eastern flank, of which 2,216.7 km lies in West Bengal. Out of this 2,216.7 km, 300 km is the riverine border in the Sunderbans.

The force has also communicated its plan to the West Bengal government seeking its nod for stationing a small team of its patrol parties (personnel on foot patrol) in Forest Department ‘chowkis’ located in the Sunderbans, which falls under the jurisdiction of two districts — North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas.

About BSF

•The BSF was raised in 1965, after the India-Pakistan war.

•It is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces of the Union of India under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

•The 2.65-lakh force is deployed along the Pakistan and Bangladesh borders.

•It is deployed on Indo-Pakistan International Border, Indo-Bangladesh International Border, LoC along with Indian Army and in Anti-Naxal Operations.

•BSF has been defending Sir Creek in Arabian Sea and Sundarbans delta in the Bay of Bengal with its state of art fleet of Watercrafts.

•It contributes dedicated services to the UN peacekeeping Mission by sending a large contingent of its trained manpower every year.