CHANDIGARH: The BSF has a novel idea to discourage Punjab youth in the border areas from becoming drug couriers. It gives them paramilitary and armed forces training to motivate them to take up soldiering instead. The force’s focus is on the Punjab districts along the Indo-Pak international border that suffer from cross-border drug supply vial drones, turning youth into couriers or addicts. For long, the BSF has been fighting the brutal battle of securing the border, checking the drug menace and stopping the youth from becoming couriers for Pakistan smugglers and, in the process, becoming addicts. Now it has hit upon the training idea and begun the reformation exercise in earnest. Youngsters are being tried out for fitness and mental and physical strength and commitment to training them. They hail from border areas of Punjab like Amritsar, Taran Taran, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Ferozepur.“Thus, now you are given pre-recruitment training for paramilitary and armed forces so they do not fall into the wrong hands. A few hundred of them have been selected for this,” said a senior officer of BSF on the condition of anonymity.Also, next month, a marathon will be held from Amritsar to Attari, where the BSF expects some 700 youth from border areas to participate. As motivation, motorcycles will be given away as prizes. The BSF is in talks with various sponsor companies regarding this. The BSF has also started a community interface as it has established a number of vocational training centres to train the youth in tailoring, carpentry, mobile repair, plumbing, harnessing dairy products and computer-related skills. Many got successful placements at the end of their training.An English coaching class for the youth of the border villages has come up in the Taran Taran district. They aspire to clear competitive examinations for higher studies in the country’s premier institutions or go abroad. Around 50 youth have been given coaching in English speaking and writing. To generate job creation and empower local artisans, BSF distributes toolkits to artisans.The BSF has also established a number of Ankur Primary Schools under the aegis of BWWA (BSF Wives Welfare Association) in the remote areas of the Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Taran Taran, Pathankot, Fazilka and Jalandhar districts where school infrastructure is deficient.Inspector General of BSF Punjab Frontier, Atul Fulzele, told this newspaper, “After having analysed the need to minimise the alienation, BSF had embarked upon a number of initiatives in different fields, from skill development of youth to provide education to children and health care, as the people living along the border face numerous challenges due to their geographical location and socio-political dynamics. The larger aim is to motivate youth to choose the right path to understand the legal ramifications of drug smuggling and addiction.”Last year, BSF intercepted and seized approximately 270 drones along the Punjab border, against 107 last year and to just 21 in 2022. The seizures led to the confiscation of 254 kg of heroin in 2023, compared to 440 kg in 2022 and 317 kg in 2021.700 youth to take part in marathonA marathon will be held next month from Amritsar to Attari, where the BSF expects some 700 youth from border areas to participate. As motivation, motorcycles will be given away as prizes. The BSF is in talks with various sponsor companies regarding this. The BSF also started a community interface as it has established a number of vocational training centres to train the youth in tailoring, carpentry, mobile repair, plumbing, harnessing dairy products and computer-related skills. Many got successful placements at the end of their training.
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