Rajnath inaugurates smart fencing project
JAMMU BORDER Implementation to make guarding more effective JAMMU:
Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Monday launched two smart fencing pilot projects along the 198-km-long India-Pakistan international border in Jammu and Kashmir.
The project would be implemented along the vulnerable 2,026-km stretch of the border based upon feedback of the smart fences at two -- 5.3 km and 5.5 km – stretches in the state’s Samba sector.
The India-Pakistan border in the state’s Jammu region has been vulnerable to infiltration and cross-border strikes. Six people, including five soldiers, were killed when a group of terrorists crossed over from Pakistan and attacked an army camp in Sunjuwan near Jammu. The attack in February was among the worst attacks in months.
The Israeli technology has inspired the project, which involves integration of surveillance equipments and day and night vision cameras.
“It is a historic day for all of us because the nation’s security is paramount. Though our security forces keep guarding our borders, this technology called the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) will make border guarding more effective,” Singh said.
He said the CIBMS will make India’s borders more secure. “Earlier our jawans had to physically dominate the border in difficult weather conditions. IndoPak border is a sensitive border and we also know that Pakistani firing causes casualties of our Border Security Force (BSF) jawans,’’ said Singh.
“There is no second opinion that BSF retaliates strongly to their firing but CIBMS will now reduce casualties of our jawans, their stress will go down and the dependence on physical patrolling will also go down,” the home minister added.
He said the CIBMS would be implemented along the 2,026 km long border stretch considered vulnerable. “We have identified vulnerable areas and gaps on all borders,” he said.
Singh said a similar pilot project will be launched along the India-Bangladesh in November in Assam. “Today is our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi)’s birthday. I dedicate this CIBMS to martyrs, who have made supreme sacrifices on the borders for the nation,” he said.
Singh said Pakistan has to change itself and to understand how to behave with a neighbour. “India made optimum efforts to have good ties. Our Prime Minister broke the protocol and went to Pakistan to have better ties and even then if they do not understand, then what can be done.”
He said he was not sure whether Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will be able to bring any change. “But I pray to the God that a change comes. I hope the change will be better than before,” he said.
Singh said the insurgency in the northeast has been confined to a small area. “It is ending and our security forces in Kashmir are working in coordination to effectively tackle terrorism there,” he said.