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Eyes on the Border
SSB to have its own intelligence wing
By Ajit K. Dubey
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In wake of reports suggesting that the Maoists were having a free run from the Indo-Nepal border and the cadres of the United Liberation front of Assam (ULFA), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has decided to start an intelligence wing of its own. This was stated by Gopal Sharma, Director General of the SSB, the force responsible for maintaining peace along India’s borders with Nepal and Bhutan. It is also responsible for the 650 border outposts (BOPs), of which, 364 are along the Nepal border and the rest along Bhutans.
The DG, SSB said that the force was preparing a ‘border management doctrine’ to create ‘secure and friendly borders’ with both Nepal and Bhutan, two countries perceived as India’s allies. “We are in the process of developing a doctrine of managing our friendly borders with Nepal and Bhutan. Under it, the SSB aims to instill a sense of security among the locals. Donning the mantle of a mediator, it anticipates playing an important role between the locals and the neighbouring countries, at the SSB guarded borders,” explained the DG, SSB.
According to senior SSB officials, the focus was to establish coordination with local population and gain their confidence. This would help the SSB in their future endeavours and operational requirements, he explained.
On talks about erecting a fence on the Indo-Nepal and the Indo-Bhutan border, Sherma asserted that maintaining friendly relationship with the neighbouring countries was more important than the border fence. He felt there was no need of fencing as the force was more concerned about the overall sanctity of the area.
The roads along the border are not very conducive for effective patrolling The SSB has decided to procure 36 tractors to patrol the borders. Its 37 battalions are deployed on the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan border axis. The tractors would be used with trailers to replenish supplies to the 390 border out posts along the borders. Commenting on the basic infrastructural problems, the DG said that the government had been apprised of the situation and was confident about a positive response. During the last Parliament session, minister of state for Home Radhika V Selvi had stated that the government was thinking of building roads all along the 1,751 Km long border with Nepal and Bhutan. She said that this would help in effective patrolling, communication and check trans-border crimes and anti-national activities. The demand for helicopters for the SSB has also been accepted by the ministry of home affairs (MHA). Speaking on the raising day parade of the force, home minister Shivraj Patil said, “I consider Helicopter service an intrinsic requirement of the force and shall endeavour to provide the same, in due course. This would enable smooth movement in inaccessible areas.”
Along with the border guarding duties, the SSB will be inducted into the anti-Naxal operations also. The government has asked the SSB to provide two battalions for protecting volunteers of Salva Judum, the people's movement against naxalites in Chattisgarh, following spate of attacks on them by Maoist insurgents. "While one battalion has already gone, the other is undergoing induction and would be sent soon," said the DG, SSB. The decision to rope in SSB exclusively for protection of people involved in the movement, was taken after various intelligence inputs suggesting that naxalites were planning to strike again and the CRPF did not have battalions to deploy for this role
The SSB is raising seven companies of women constabulary to frisk people crossing the porous and open frontiers on Nepal and Bhutan border. “We are training seven companies of women officers at the head constable level. They will not be deployed at the border outposts, but will be frisking and checking suspected people crossing the porous India-Nepal border,” SSB Director General Gopal Sharma said at a press conference
The DG, SSB revealed that the force was undergoing a massive modernisation plan and all its BOPs would be connected through a satellite in future. This upgraded state-of-the-art system would include video conferencing, remote sensing surveillance systems, satellite phones and computerisation of the posts. In 2007, the SSB managed to seize contraband worth Rs 867 million, narcotics worth Rs 110 million and 2.715 kg of explosives in the border areas, while it arrested 166 people for smuggling drugs and carrying explosives and other anti-nationals activities.
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