India considers using reptiles as alternative border fencing solution

India Considers Unconventional Border Security Measure

New Delhi, India - The Indian government has proposed using venomous snakes and crocodiles as natural deterrents along the Bangladesh border, where fencing is deemed impractical due to challenging terrain.

The plan, directed by the Border Security Force (BSF), aims to utilize apex predators in riverine stretches to prevent undocumented migration and smuggling. The 4,096km-long India-Bangladesh border spans through difficult terrain, including hills, rivers, and valleys, making fencing nearly impossible in certain areas.

According to internal communication dated March 26, BSF personnel were instructed to explore the feasibility of deploying reptiles in vulnerable riverine gaps. The government’s latest move has raised concerns among human rights activists and wildlife conservationists.

The India-Bangladesh border spans across five Indian states: West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. While nearly 3,000km of the border have been fenced, the remaining stretches include marshy and riverine areas with local populations living on either side.

In its report last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs noted that the BSF has diligently performed its duty to curb illegal cross-border activities and undocumented migration from Bangladesh. However, analysts and activists have expressed alarm at the prospect of using venomous animals as a deterrent.

“This would be hilarious if it weren’t sinister and dangerous,” said Angshuman Choudhury, a researcher with a focus on northeastern and eastern Indian border states. “It’s absurd, right?” The plan has been met with criticism from human rights observers, who argue that it is a form of biopolitical violence.

The proposal has sparked debate about the risks of such a move for local communities on both sides of the border and for the ecosystem of the region.

Source: Al Jazeera