Lok Sabha Question No. 2568 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-01
Subject: Fencing at Border in Gujarat
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2568

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 01ST AUGUST, 2017 / SHRAVANA 10, 1939 (SAKA) FENCING AT BORDER IN GUJARAT

2568. DR. KIRIT P. SOLANKI:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  out  of  total  512  km  of  land  border  of  Gujarat  with  hostile neighbour Pakistan, only 340 kms length has been sanctioned for fencing and out of that work on only 262.7 km has been completed;
- (b) whether the Government is aware of the fact that remaining 262.7 km area is very sensitive and needs urgent fencing and despite the talks/correspondence being regularly held since April, 2012 between the State Government of Gujarat and Ministry of Home Affairs, no action has been taken to complete fencing of the remaining border areas;
- (c) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (d) whether the Government is concerned with many incidents of smuggling of weapons/contrabands as well as infiltration of anti-nationals in the part and if so, the urgent action being taken to fence the remaining border areas; and
- (e) the time frame by which the fencing of 512 km Gujarat border is likely to be completed in view of the sensitivity of the border area?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a),  (b)  &  (c)  Yes,  the  Government has sanctioned 340 Kms length of fence in Gujarat along the Indo-Pakistan Border (IPB). Out of this, 280 Kms of fence work has been completed. The fence in balance stretch is not sanctioned as the site conditions were not found feasible for construction of fence due to marshy/water logged area. The balance stretch is proposed to be covered by

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 2568FOR 01.08.2017

non-physical barrier i.e. technological solutions.

(d)  Only  a  few  incidents  of  smuggling  of  weapons/  contrabands  as  well  as infiltration  of  anti-nationals  occurred  during  the  last  three  calendar  years  and current  year  (upto  30.06.2017)  which  were  apprehended/  seized  by  Border Security Force (BSF) as and when the incidents occurred. The Government has initiated action to check these types of incidents by deployment of technological solutions  in  the  balanced  unfenced  border  areas.  The  details  of incidents are as given here under:

| Year                    |   No. of infiltrat ors appreh ended |   Cases of Contraba nds |   Seizure of Contrab ands (in Lakhs) | Case s of Arms   | Seizur e of Arm Cases   | Cases of Ammun ition   | Seizure of Ammunit ions (Nos.)   |
|-------------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------------------|------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 2014                    |                                  12 |                      14 |                                 1    | -                | -                       | -                      | -                                |
| 2015                    |                                  17 |                       9 |                                 1.68 | -                | -                       | -                      | -                                |
| 2016                    |                                  32 |                      16 |                                10.65 | 1                | 1                       | 1                      | 6                                |
| 2017 (upto 30.06.20 17) |                                  07 |                       8 |                                 0.35 | -                | -                       | -                      | -                                |

(e) The balanced stretch along Indo-Pakistan border in Gujarat is proposed to be covered by December, 2018 through physical and non-physical barriers.

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