It is alleged that construction is taking place within 10 to 50 yards of Indian territory in certain stretches of ‘zero point’ on the India-Bangladesh border.
The residents of the four panchayats, about 500 in number, fear that villages will be submerged if the water level rises. According to locals, the embankment being built by Bangladesh is 15 to 20 feet high and stretches for about 1.5 km.
The villagers are urging that either the embankment be dismantled, or appropriate drainage routes be included to prevent potential flooding. In January this year, the Tripura government took up the matter with the Centre. The embankment is being constructed by the Bangladesh government on its land.
According to the state government, it might endanger the state’s Unakoti district town Kailashahar and some border villages during the monsoon season.