Floods worry India’s border force

It’s not only the civilians who are affected by flood in India’s northeastern state of Assam.

The men in uniform too are badly affected by the floodwaters of the mighty Brahmaputra.

Reports pouring in from Assam’s Dhubri district indicates as many as fourteen Border Outposts (BOPs) of the 17th battalion of Border Security Force (BSF) along the Indo–Bangladesh border have been inundated.

“Some BOPs like Chowkichar and MM Char are under 4.5 feet deep waters,” a BSF spokesman told bdnews24.com.

As an immediate crisis management measure, platforms have been created in the BOPs to shelter the BSF jawans.

“They are staying on the platforms or in the boats. The ration and other necessary stuff are also being stored in these vessels,” the spokesperson said.

Water is being supplied to the BOPs in civil boats. “Efforts are being made by the BSF authorities so that basic amenities like clean drinking water and food can be provided to the personnel affected by the floods,” the spokesperson said.

Each BOPs houses around 80 to 90 personnel. There are more than 1000 BOPs along the 4,096 km long India-Bangladesh border.

The BOPs which are manned by the border guarding forces mainly check smuggling, infiltration and cross border crimes. They have watch towers in the BOPs to keep an eye on the intruders and illegal cross border activity of any kind.

The jawans maintain regular patrolling along the international border to check illegal trespass and track any footprints of those who may have crossed over illegally.