Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee instructed the police to see that the Border Security Force (BSF) does not conduct its activities beyond 15 km of the international border with Bangladesh.

Addressing an administrative meeting for both North and South Dinajpur districts at Karnajora in North Dinajpur, Miss Banerjee said that the Inspectors in charge of police stations in the two districts should remain alert to check BSF activities on the border and see to it that the Force acts only within 15 km of the border.

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The CM’s instructions come amid a war of words between the Centre and the state over the central government’s recent decision to extend the jurisdiction of the BSF from the earlier 15 km to 50 km inside the border. The state government has opposed the decision and is saying that it goes against the federal structure of the country.

“Not only in South Dinajpur, but also in adjacent districts like Malda, Murshidabad and North Dinajpur, the BSF is working by crossing its limit of 15 km without informing the local police. The BSF often enters villages and harass villagers for nothing. This should be stopped. The local police should remain alert. The DG of police will talk with the DG of BSF. The BDO, along with the local police should talk with villagers and see if there is any such problem.

You must ask them to work inside their jurisdiction of 15 km,” Miss Banerjee said. For North Dinajpur, the CM said a textile industry will be set up soon at an abandoned place of the now closed West Dinajpur Spinning Mill at Bagram in Raiganj. “The state government, with his own efforts, will prepare children’s garments, which the state government will supply to primary school students free of cost. There will be numerous employment opportunities in this industry,” the CM said.

The state government has also decided to adopt the now closed Kulick Milk Products unit under the Bangla Dairy Prokolpo for its revival. “While the state government has already upgraded the 100-bed State General Hospital at Kaliyaganj to a 250-bed hospital, initiatives will be taken to develop its infrastructure. Doctors, nurses and other required staff will be appointed there soon,”

Miss Banerjee said. The CM also laid the foundation stone for 38 new projects and inaugurated 72 projects for both North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur today. The projects include drinking water, construction of power stations, upgradation of health centers, and roads. In the meeting, TMC MLA of Islampur Abdul Karim Chowdhury urged Miss Banerjee to divide North Dinajpur district and create a new district in the Islampur subdivision, a proposal that the CM opposed. On proposals put forth by MLAs to build a degree college each in Hemtabad, Chakulia and Karandighi blocks, the CM said 46 new colleges are being established in the state.

“A decision to building the proposed colleges will be taken after the construction of the 46 is over,” she said. The CM also directed the District Magistrates of both the districts to take steps to increase the production of the Tulaipanji rice, as, she said the popular rice is being exported to other countries. For South Dinajpur, the CM raised the issue of the Atryee river again and sought to know the status of the lifeline of South Dinajpur. She welcomed the decision of build a spar dam across the river to maintain a minimum level of water in the river.

The Bangladeshi government has a built an “illegal” dam on the Atryee at Fulbari in the Bangladesh side and ever since its construction, the water level in the river on the Indian side has started decreasing. The water flow in the river in South Dinajpur is good for only two to three months in a ear, while the river almost dries up just after the rainy season. As a result, people living in vast areas of the Kumarganj and Balurghat Blocks are facing severe drinking and irrigation water crisis.

The South Dinajpur district administration decided to build a dam in the Gangasagar area in Balurghat block in the middle of the river a year ago. “The dam will not be so tall, but an area of about 10 km in the upper stream can be retained permanently and water for drinking and irrigation purposes can be provided from there,” said one district official. The CM directed officials concerned to expedite work on the dam.

Though environmentalists in the district and the common people welcomed the decision to build the dam, fishermen are not very happy about it. “If the water gets stuck, its purity will decrease, thus affecting fish farming. As fishes in the river move from lower to the upper stream, normal breading of fishes will stop if the flow is stopped,” a fisherman in South Dinajpur, Haripada Halder, said.

“We welcome the decision and we will support the administration in this project. Every step taken for the betterment of the Atryee river will be support this. This dam will revive the river,” Tuhinsubhra Mandal, an environment activist, on the other hand, said.