Indo- Bangladesh Petrapole border at North 24 Parganas. Express photo by Partha Paul.12.04.20.
With the West Bengal government not allowing cargo movement through the Indo-Bangla border despite repeated directions, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has warned that such acts will have international implications.
In his letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said that the state is violating orders issued under Disaster Management Act.
“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,” the letter said.
“This act of the state Government of West Bengal, amounts to violation of the orders issued by the MHA under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as well as articles 253, 256 and 257 of the Constitution of India,” it added.
Directing the state government to allow free movement of cargo without any further delay, Bhalla asked the state to send the compliance report by Wednesday itself.
The Centre had issued directions regarding cross-land border transportation on April 24, he added.
Bhalla also said it has been reported that goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh, falling in West Bengal, has still not resumed. He said as a result, a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies, to 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 into India, and are stranded in the neighbhouring country, the letter added.
According to the new guidelines lockdown measures, no state or Union Territory is allowed stop movement of cargo for cross-border land trade under treaties with neighbouring countries.