Overview
- BSF officials, speaking Monday, said a March 26 headquarters signal asked field units to study placing reptiles in vulnerable river stretches in line with Home Minister Amit Shah’s directions.
- The measure remains a feasibility exercise and is not in effect, with inputs requested after a February 9 headquarters meeting chaired by BSF director-general Praveen Kumar.
- Field commanders have warned of practical hurdles such as procuring reptiles and the risk to people living along flood-prone banks where animals could disperse during high water.
- The 4,096-km frontier includes about 175 km of riverine and swampy terrain where fencing is difficult, and the force is also pushing drones, sensors, cameras, and mapping of no-signal outposts to close gaps.
- Internal memos and media reports place many of the unfenced gaps in states like West Bengal and Assam, and some coverage links the review to tougher migration enforcement that has drawn rights concerns.