Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Water from Pak inundates BSF's 20 border outposts

From TOIAnand McNair, TNN, Aug 4, 2010, 04.44am IST


GANDHINAGAR: Many of Border Security Force's (BSF) low-lying border outposts along the international border in Gujarat's Kutch and Rajasthan's Barmer are waterlogged for the past two days necessitating the para-military force to issue an alert. However, the recent integration of Geographical Information System (GIS) into BSF's planning processes is turning out to be of great value for the para-military force as its decisions now show both the required alacrity and vision. 

The primary reason behind waterlogging of the border outposts is rains and release of water from the dams in Pakistan's Sindh province. Torrential rains have wreaked havoc in some parts of Pakistan and water of rivers in spate has overflowed into Indus which meanders through Sindh on way to the Arabian Sea. 

At least 20 BSF border outposts in Kutch and Barmer districts have been repositioned because of the waterlogging. Each border outpost has about 40 officers and jawans posted and this means nearly a battalion has been affected by the raging water. Gujarat Frontier BSF inspector general AK Sinha has toured these outposts to ensure there is no dilution in its domain during the temporary repositioning of the men. 

"We never leave the outpost on the border whatever be the situation," he told TOI. The BSF men are carrying out their duties with as much dedication as they did earlier from the tents pitched nearby. This is a normal scenario during the monsoon and the BSF is well attuned to it, Sinha added. 

The present situation would have taken the BSG by surprise, but the paramilitary force was well prepared for it thanks to GIS. The BSF has been able to respond quickly to the situation because of the recent integration of GIS into BSF's overall scheme of things. It is comparatively easier for the para-military force to maintain command control and ensure a better logistics management due to GIS in an unusual situation like this, Sinha said. 

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