Why in news?

The Border Security Force has directed field units to explore the feasibility of deploying reptiles like snakes and crocodiles in riverine border areas to curb infiltration and criminal activities.

The directive, issued after a meeting in Delhi, aligns with inputs linked to Union Minister of Home Affairs. Field units have been asked to examine operational feasibility, not implement the idea immediately.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India – Bangladesh Border
• BSF's Reptile Proposal for Bangladesh Border
• Operational Challenges and Concerns
• Conclusion

India – Bangladesh Border

• The India-Bangladesh border covers a total length of approximately 4,096.7 kilometers. It is the longest land border India shares with any neighbor.
• It passes through five Indian states — West Bengal (2,217 km), Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (262 km).
• The border is characterised by a complex mix of riverine stretches, forests, haor (wetland) regions, and densely populated areas on both sides, making it one of the most difficult borders to manage in the world.
• Institutional and Legal Framework
  • The Border Security Force (BSF) is the primary agency responsible for guarding this border on the Indian side.
  • The Land Boundary Agreement (LBA), 2015 was a landmark agreement that resolved the long-standing enclaves dispute — 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in India were exchanged, settling a decades-old humanitarian and territorial anomaly.
  • The Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) is being deployed along this border to leverage technology for surveillance.
• Key Challenges
  • Illegal Immigration - The porous nature of the border, shared language and ethnicity in many regions, and economic push factors from Bangladesh have historically driven large-scale undocumented migration into states like West Bengal and Assam.
  • Fencing and Physical Barriers - India has undertaken the Border Fencing Project along the India-Bangladesh border. However, a significant portion of the border — particularly riverine and wetland stretches — remains unfenced or poorly fenced.
    • Riverine boundaries are especially difficult to demarcate and fence, as rivers shift course over time.
  • Smuggling and Trafficking - The border witnesses active smuggling of cattle, narcotics, gold, fake Indian currency notes (FICN), and consumer goods. Human trafficking — particularly of women and children — is another grave challenge along this border.
  • Infiltration and Insurgency Linkages - There are longstanding concerns about infiltration of insurgent elements from across the border, particularly in the northeastern states.
• Technological Interventions
  • CIBMS (Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System) — integrates sensors, cameras, radars, and communication systems for real-time surveillance.
  • Smart Fencing (BOLD-QIT) — Border Electronically Dominated QRT Interception Technique — deployed in Assam and other northeastern states to monitor unfenced riverine stretches using laser sensors and infrared cameras.
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs/Drones) are increasingly being used for aerial surveillance of difficult terrain.
  • Floodlights and CCTV networks along vulnerable stretches.

BSF's Reptile Proposal for Bangladesh Border

• The Border Security Force (BSF) has proposed an unconventional idea to curb infiltration along the India-Bangladesh border — releasing reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles into riverine stretches vulnerable to illegal crossings.
• The proposal comes in the context of India's border with Bangladesh, parts of which pass through difficult riverine terrain where barbed wire fences have reportedly become obsolete.
  • Of the total 4,096.7 km border with Bangladesh, the government had approved the fencing of 3,326.14 km.
  • Of this distance, 2,954.56 km has been fenced so far. Around 371 km of the total sanctioned border length is yet to be fenced.

Operational Challenges and Concerns

• The presence of reptiles in riverine border gaps could act as a natural deterrent against infiltration and criminal activities, serving as an alternative to physical fencing in areas where conventional infrastructure is difficult to deploy.
• However, there are various practical issues including procurement, handling, and deployment of reptiles.
• Conflict with Local Communities
  • Conservationists warn that introduced reptiles will not remain confined to designated border stretches.
  • They are bound to disperse across both sides of the border, posing a serious threat to local and often marginalised communities living in the region. This could trigger significant human-wildlife conflict.
• Ecological Imbalance
  • Scientists pointed out that the targeted riverine regions — such as the Sundarbans — already host saltwater crocodiles, cobras, Russell's vipers, and kraits.
  • Introducing additional species or artificially inflating the population of existing ones risks disrupting the existing ecological balance.
  • In the long run, this could prove counterproductive.
• Ineffectiveness as a Deterrent
  • Experts note that people who regularly cross the border are already aware of the presence of reptiles and take precautions accordingly.
  • The proposal may therefore offer little practical deterrence against determined infiltrators or criminal elements.
  • Ironically, criminals could even exploit translocated animals as an extra source of protein.
• Risks to the Animals Themselves
  • Translocating wild animals is described as a "tricky proposition".
  • Crocodiles, being territorial by nature, face reduced survival odds when moved to unfamiliar territory.

Conclusion

• While the BSF's reptile proposal reflects the operational frustration of managing a vast and geographically complex border, experts are near-unanimous in cautioning against it.
• The idea raises serious concerns on grounds of ecological integrity, community safety, animal welfare, and practical effectiveness.
• A more sustainable approach would lie in accelerating smart fencing, technological surveillance, and bilateral cooperation with Bangladesh rather than experimenting with ecologically and ethically questionable measures.

About Dibru-Saikhowa National Park:

• It is located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, Assam.
• The park is bounded by the Brahmaputra and Lohit Rivers in the north and the Dibru River in the south.
• It is also a Biosphere Reserve.
• Climate: It has a tropical monsoon climate with a hot and wet summer and cool and usually dry winter.
• Flora:
  • It mainly consists of moist mixed semi-evergreen forests, moist mixed deciduous forests, canebrakes, and grasslands.
  • It has the largest salix swamp forest in northeastern India.
  • The forest consists of beautiful pine vegetation and some other common and rare tropical trees like Tetrasperma, Dalbergiasissoo, Dibru-Saikhowa, Dilleniaindica, etc.
• Fauna:
  • Though the park was primarily meant for the conservation and development of the White-winged wood duck in its natural habitat, it is also famous for its bright colored wild horses called the Feral Horses.
  • It is the habitat of some rare and endangered animals such as the Hoolock gibbon, water buffalo, tiger, elephant, capped langur, slow loris, and Gangetic river dolphin.
  • It is an identified Important Bird Area (IBA) having more than 382 species of birds, some of which are Greater Adjutant Stork, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Greater Crested Grebe, etc.

About Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project:

• It is a hydropower project planned on the Lohit River (a tributary of the Brahmaputra River) in the Anjaw District of Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is a run-of-river with pondage project.
• The project involves construction of a concrete gravity dam, upstream & downstream coffer dam, diversion tunnel, intake tunnel, pressure Shafts, underground Powerhouse complex, surge chamber, and Tail Race Tunnel, etc.
• The project has an installed capacity of 1,200 megawatt (MW) comprising six units of 190 MW and one unit of 60 MW.
• It is projected to generate 4,852.95 million units annually..
• The project will be implemented through a joint venture company between THDC India Limited (formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited) and the government of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The Government of India will provide budgetary support for roads, bridges and associated transmission infrastructure, along with central financial assistance towards the state’s equity share.

About Windfall Tax:

• A windfall tax is a higher tax levied by the government on specific industries when the industry experiences unexpected and above-average profits due to various global and geopolitical events outside the control of the industry.
• As the name suggests, “windfall” refers to a dramatic and unanticipated increase in profits. On the other hand, “tax” implies an imposition levied on this dramatic income growth.
• The government imposes this tax when it notices a sudden rise in an industry’s revenue.
• The increase in profits is not attributed to any expansion or investment strategy of a business but to a favourable external factor for which the business is not responsible.
• It is levied on industries or businesses that make disproportionate profits during unexpected situations like commodity shortages, wars, pandemics, changes in government policy, etc.
• The most common industries that fall target to windfall gains tax include oil, gas, and mining.
• Some individual taxes—such as inheritance tax or taxes on lottery or game-show winnings—can also be construed as a windfall tax.
• Objective:
  • The primary objective of windfall taxes is to appropriate a portion of these extraordinary profits, which are perceived to exceed normal returns, for the public good.
  • Governments assert that these profits are not solely due to the taxed entity’s efforts but also due to external factors, justifying the redistribution of such gains to benefit society as a whole.
  • It is also used as a supplementary revenue stream for the government.

About Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project:

• It is a 1200 MW run-of-the-river scheme located on the left bank of the Punatsangchhu River in the Southern Himalayas in Bhutan.
• It is presently the largest hydropower project under construction in Bhutan.
• The project is being implemented by the Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project Authority (PHPA), an autonomous body of the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of India.
• It is funded by the Government of India (GoI): 40% Grant and 60% Loan at 10% annual interest, repayable in 12 equated annual installments commencing one year after the mean date of operation.
• All the surplus power from the project will be exported to India.

About Hib Disease:

• It is a serious illness caused by the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae type b.
• Babies and children younger than 5 years old are most at risk for Hib disease, but it can also affect adults with certain medical conditions.
• Hib bacteria can cause mild illness, such as ear infections or bronchitis, or severe illness, such as infections of the bloodstream, joints, and the linings of the brain and spinal cord.
• Contrary to what the name Haemophilus influenzae suggests, the bacterium does not cause influenza.
• Transmission: Hib is spread through respiratory droplets, mostly coughing and sneezing, and through lengthy contact with an infected person.
• Symptoms:
  • influenzae can cause many different types of infections.
  • Symptoms depend on the part of the body that's infected.
  • Serious infections can result in long-term health problems and death.
• Prevention and Treatment:
  • Treatment usually includes the use of antibiotics to fight the infection. However, influenzae can be resistant to antibiotics.
  • Depending on the severity of your condition, you may need additional treatment in the hospital.
  • An effective vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type b is available.

About Lanjia Saora Tribe:

• Saora is one of the ancient tribes of Odisha and categorized as a particularly vulnerable tribal group.
• Other names: Savaras, Sabaras, Saura, Sora, etc.
• A small number of people are also found in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam.
• Language: They have their own native language called Sora, which is a Munda language, and they are one of the very few tribes of India that have a script for the language, Sorang Sompeng.
• They show their racial affinity to the Proto Australoid physical characters.
• Settlement: They are living in mud-and-thatch homes scattered across undulating terrain,
• Economy: The community sustains itself through shifting cultivation, foraging, and small-scale farming.
• Belief System
  • Religion: Saoras follow an ingrained and intricate religion, having faith in and worshipping a number of gods and spirits, who they believe are the supreme controllers of their regular lives.
  • They have unique art practices, religious customs, as well as a dying tattooing tradition called ‘Tantangbo’.
  • Their belief system is closely tied to nature, with rituals, music, and dance forming an integral part of everyday life.
  • Among the most distinctive visual traditions are their large metal earrings — thick, circular ornaments that are not merely worn but fixed into stretched earlobes, often over years.
  • Village guardian deities like Kitungsum are installed at the entrance of the settlement.

About Chagos Islands:

• Location: It is an island group located in the central Indian Ocean.
• It is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom that was established in 1965.
  • The principal islands in the archipelago include the Diego Garcia atoll, Danger Island, Egmont Islands, Eagle Islands, Nelsons Island, Peros Banhos atoll, Three Brothers Islands, and the Solomon Islands. 
  • Diego Garcia is the largest and the most southerly island of the Chagos Archipelago.
• Terrain: The islands feature flat and low terrain.
  • There are no rivers and lakes on the islands. 
• Climate: It experiences a tropical marine climate with high temperatures and elevated humidity levels. 
• The island’s climate is heavily moderated by the trade winds which blow over the islands.

About Indus River Dolphin:

• The Indus River dolphin (Platanista minor) is one of the rarest mammals.
• Appearance:
  • It has the long, pointed nose characteristic of all river dolphins.
  • The teeth are visible in both the upper and lower jaws even when the mouth is closed. 
• Distribution: It presently only occurs in the Indus River system, along with a remnant population in the Beas River.
• Features of Indus River Dolphin:
  • It is functionally blind. It has extremely reduced eyes without lenses.
  • Instead of vision, it relies entirely on echolocation to navigate, hunt and avoid obstacles in the highly turbid waters.
  • It has a remarkable trait of swimming predominantly on its side.
  • This allows it to use its long, sensitive snout to probe the riverbed for prey. Side-swimming is extremely rare among cetaceans and is a signature feature of this species.
  • It lives largely solitary or in very small groups (typically mother-calf pairs).
  • Diet: These are carnivores (piscivores). They feed on a variety of fish and crustaceans, including prawns, carp, catfish, and gobies.
• Threats: Water pollution, poaching, fragmentation of habitat due to barrages
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Endangered
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I

About Export Inspection Council:

• It was set up by the Government of India under Section 3 of the Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963.
• It ensures sound development of export trade of India through quality control and inspection and matters connected therewith.
• It is the official export –certification body of India which ensures quality and safety of products exported from India.
• It is headed by a Chairman. The Executive Head of the Council is the Director of Inspection & Quality Control who is responsible for day to day functioning of the Council.
• Function:
  • It ensures that products notified under the Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act 1963 are meeting the requirements of the importing countries in respect of their quality and safety.
  • It provides mandatory certification for various Food items namely fish & fishery products, dairy products, honey, egg products, meat and meat products, poultry meat products, animal casing, Gelatine, Ossein and crushed bones.
• The Export Inspection Agencies (EIAs) are located at Mumbai, Kolkata, Kochi, Delhi and Chennai with a network of 30 sub offices backed by the state of art, NABL accredited laboratories at various places.
• Headquarter: Delhi
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry.