BSF 'bee sting' to counter criminals at Bangladesh fence
New Delhi/Kolkata, Nov 5
The BSF has undertaken a unique experiment of installing bee boxes on the India-Bangladesh border fence in West Bengal to stop instances of cutting the hedge for cattle smuggling and other crimes, besides generating livelihood for locals.
Novel initiative
- Bee boxes on the fence will be a deterrent for smugglers
- If the smugglers try to cut the border fence, a swarm of bees can seriously injure them
The first-of-its kind initiative was launched recently by the BSF’s 32nd Battalion in the border areas of Nadia district with an aim of ensuring border security and helping the locals through apiculture, a senior officer said. India and Bangladesh share a 4,096-km frontier, with West Bengal accounting for about 2,217 km.
The Ayush Ministry has been roped in by the BSF for the project. The ministry has provided the BSF with the beehives and required expertise to fix those on the alloy-made “smart fence”. Sujeet Kumar, Commandant of the 32nd BSF Battalion, who conceptualised the idea, said the force had undertaken the initiative under the Centre’s “Vibrant Village Programme” and gone a step further by requesting the Ayush Ministry to provide it with medicinal plants that bear flowers and could be planted around these bee boxes so that the bees could pollinate in abundance.
The border areas under BSF’s South Bengal frontier in Nadia district are prone to cross-border crimes like cattle, gold, silver and narcotics smuggling.
