From The Times Of India
March 7, 2011
AHMEDABAD: There are no lights at the Indo-Pak border in Kutch district. For the last three years, a stretch of 203 km of the Indo-Pak border has been fitted with floodlights to check illegal infiltration.
Ironically, three years have passed since the lights were installed but these are yet to be switched on. Inspector general of BSF A K Sinha said: "The project has been completed with financial grant from the central government. We have little to do in this project. Now, the CPWD (Central Public Works Department) has to take over operations."
The reason is more political than technical - the state and central governments cannot come to a consensus on who should foot the electricity bill.
"Some three years back, the government took the decision to put up barbed wire fencing along the border. Then came the requirement for lights for better security. Floodlights were fitted in the 203 km that has been fenced. This is to ensure that security personnel can see for a greater distance in the night and are able to stop infiltration," said a source in the state government. Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL) was assigned the task for setting up infrastructure of power lines. The company has fitted the lights and set up a 66 KW unmanned power substation. But, that too is now plunged in darkness.
"It was a tough task for us since we had to set up this critical infrastructure in a coastal line. In different phases we completed the task for this unmanned substation. The next phase of the project about commissioning of substation and floodlights has to be completed by central PWD and BSF authorities," said PGVCL chief engineer Jagdish Parekh.
Government sources, however, say that the financial concerns have stalled the project from being taken any further. "Both the governments cannot decide on who will foot the electricity bill," said the source.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Unlit-border-gives-safe-passage-to-intruders/articleshow/7642814.cms
March 7, 2011
AHMEDABAD: There are no lights at the Indo-Pak border in Kutch district. For the last three years, a stretch of 203 km of the Indo-Pak border has been fitted with floodlights to check illegal infiltration.
Ironically, three years have passed since the lights were installed but these are yet to be switched on. Inspector general of BSF A K Sinha said: "The project has been completed with financial grant from the central government. We have little to do in this project. Now, the CPWD (Central Public Works Department) has to take over operations."
The reason is more political than technical - the state and central governments cannot come to a consensus on who should foot the electricity bill.
"Some three years back, the government took the decision to put up barbed wire fencing along the border. Then came the requirement for lights for better security. Floodlights were fitted in the 203 km that has been fenced. This is to ensure that security personnel can see for a greater distance in the night and are able to stop infiltration," said a source in the state government. Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL) was assigned the task for setting up infrastructure of power lines. The company has fitted the lights and set up a 66 KW unmanned power substation. But, that too is now plunged in darkness.
"It was a tough task for us since we had to set up this critical infrastructure in a coastal line. In different phases we completed the task for this unmanned substation. The next phase of the project about commissioning of substation and floodlights has to be completed by central PWD and BSF authorities," said PGVCL chief engineer Jagdish Parekh.
Government sources, however, say that the financial concerns have stalled the project from being taken any further. "Both the governments cannot decide on who will foot the electricity bill," said the source.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Unlit-border-gives-safe-passage-to-intruders/articleshow/7642814.cms
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