MHA writes to W Bengal govt for not allowing cross land-border transportation, asks state to allow it immediately and submit report today
May 06, 2020
New Delhi [India], May 6 : The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday wrote a letter to the West Bengal Government asking the state to allow cross land-border transportation.
Home Ministry has said that the state government is not allowing cross land-border transportation through lndo-Bangladesh borders.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has asked the West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha to allow transportation without any further delay and send the compliance report on the opening of cross land borders, by today itself.
"Please refer to my DO letter of even number dated 24.04.2020 wherein directions were given to allow cross land border transportation of essential goods through all Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Bangladesh borders and send a compliance report to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)," Ajay Bhalla said in his letter.
"In this regard, I am constrained to say that we have not received the compliance report from the Government of West Bengal. Further, it has been reported that goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh, falling in the State of West Bengal, has still not resumed," Union Home Secretary said in his letter to Chief Secretary of West Bengal.
According to MHA, a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies, bound for Bangladesh, are stranded at different border crossing points.
"A number of drivers of such vehicles, while returning from Bangladesh, have also not been allowed to cross the border, and are stranded in Bangladesh," it said while asking the state to allow transportation immediately.
Bhalla also mentioned that in a separate letter written to the state it had been clearly spelt out that no State/UT shall stop the movement of cargo for cross-border land trade under treaties with neighbouring countries.
"As mentioned in my aforesaid letter dated 24.04.2020, the unilateral action on the part of Government of West Bengal to stop the cross land border movement of essential goods would have larger implications for the Indian Government with regard to its legally binding international commitments. This act of the State Government of West Bengal amounts to a violation of the orders issued by MHA under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as well as Articles 253, 256 and 257 of the Constitution of India," the MHA has said.
