AGARTALA, September 16 (TIWN): Despite the locals of Sonamura restricted the Sepahijala District Administration to go ahead with the construction work of barbed wire fencing along the Indo-Bangla border stretching 10 km the administration were instructed to take the pace ignoring the resistance. The 10 km area of Kulubari and NC Nagar of Sonamura was supposed to have barbed wire fencing to stop smugglings and other anti-social activities.

The villagers have been demanding zero line fencing instead of 150 yard inside the Indian Territory for the past few years.

 However, despite that and ignoring the unrealistic demand of the locals after a long halt, Sonamura Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) had pushed the stalled barbed wire fencing work in some specific patches of the borderline after meeting with the agitators.

According to the official, at least 70 km of the total 80 km area along Indo-Bangla border has already been fenced. It is alleged that the remaining unfenced areas are often being used for smuggling of cattle and contraband items to neighbouring Bangladesh due to its high demand.

The locals demanded the fencing should come up along the zero line to save their property. However, the SDM rejected the demand saying that it could not be entertained and had pushed the work recently.

The official said that the barbed wire fencing work between Kulubari and NC Nagar is continuing amidst tight security.