High Court slams Bengal government for delay in handing over land to BSF for fencing India-Bangladesh border

The Calcutta High Court has reprimanded the West Bengal government for failing to comply with its order to hand over land to the BSF to fence the India-Bangladesh border in the State, noting that only eight-kilometre stretches of the 127 km have been given to the border guarding force so far.

On January 27, a division bench presided by Chief Justice Sujoy Paul had directed the State government to hand over 127 km of land “already acquired/purchased”, for which “compensation” had been “received by the State government from the Centre”, to the BSF by March 31.

Castigating the State for not handing over the entire 127 kms of land to the BSF in nine districts by the end of March, the high court on April 22 directed the State government to file a detailed affidavit within two weeks, informing it of the steps taken to comply with its January order.