Shri Arun Chaudhary, IPS, took over as director general of the Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB) in early December 2012. An IPS officer of 1977 batch from Bihar Cadre, he has served as SP in Bihar in sensitive crime prone districts of Vaishali, Madhubani, Rohtash and as Senior Superintendent of Police in Patna. He has also worked as DIG Operational Incharge of anti-Naxal Operations in Bihar during 1992-93. Thereafter he joined as deputy director in Intelligence Bureau in 1994, where he contributed 14 years of service in various assignments at Delhi headquarters and in Kashmir operations.
For his excellent services, he was decorated with Police Medal in the year 1996 and President’s Police Medal in the year 2002 for distinguished service. His career is enriched with various important training programmes like Vertical Interaction Course, Intelligence Executive Orientation Programme, Level-II Management Course etc., he attended several conferences held in Srilanka, Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia on security issues. Before joining SSB, he was the Special DG in Central Industrial Security Force and was heading the CISF airport sector comprising 58 civil airports all over the country along with the security of important Government installations and VIP Security.
The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) came into existence in early 1963 in the wake of the Indo-China conflict to inculcate feelings of national belonging in the border population and develop their capabilities for resistance through a continuous process of motivation, training, development, welfare programmes and activities in the border areas. In the past forty-nine years of its existence, SSB has endeavoured to present a benign face of the government among border populace in the far flung and inaccessible areas subscribing to the ethos of Service, Security and Brotherhood. The local populace always found SSB standing steadfastly with them during difficult times. Pursuant to the recommendations of the Group of Ministers on reforming the National Security System, SSB was declared as a border guarding force and lead intelligence agency (LIA) for Indo-Nepal border (January, 2001) and Indo-Bhutan border (March, 2004).
Presently, SSB is a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) of the Union with uts charter and role and are the Broder Guarding Force for the open and porous Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders, as well as the lead intelligence agency for the same area.
There are new emerging challenges to India’s national security. It is in this perspective that the Sashastra Seema Bal has been mandated to guard these borders and curb infiltration, smuggling and anti-national activities along these porous borders. The officers and jawans of the SSB perform the assigned task with due diligence and dedication while continuing to adhere to its motto of service, security and brotherhood.
The Editor (Dr. Arvind Kumar) of the FGR interviewed Sh Arun Chaudhary and excerpts from that interview are reproduced below.
FGR: What are the over all reasons behind establishing SSB as separate force?
AC: SSB has been working on the border for inculcating sense of security; promote national awareness and security consciousness since 1963. With the changed scenario it was decided by the Government of India to deploy SSE3 for guarding Indo-Nepal Border in the year 2001 and Indo-Bhutan Border in the year 2004. In its earlier role, SSB has been inter-acting with the local population in its area of operations and as such has people-friendly approach in its functioning. Taking into consideration these unique qualities of SSB it was assigned border guarding duties on open, porous, friendly and visa free Indo-Nepal border in the year 2001 and Indo-Bhutan border in the year 2004 to strengthen own national security.
FGR: What is the role of the SSB in ensuring peace and internal security along the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders of India?
AC: SSB is deployed on Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan border for border guarding duties with the mandate as under: –
- To promote sense of security amongst people living in the border areas.
- To prevent trans-border crimes and un-authorized entry into or exit from the territory of India.
- To prevent smuggling and other illegal activities in the area of deployment. In order to perform its assigned task, BOPs (Border Out Posts) have been established all along the border which regularly undertake various operational activities like patrolling, naka-bandi, etc. to ensure that open border is not exploited by anti-national/anti-social elements. Checking of persons crossing the border is also being done both randomly as well as on the basis of inputs received from own sources/sister agencies.
SSB has also been declared Lead Intelligence Agency for both these borders and hence coordinating between various agencies operating on these borders. With its effective border management, SSB has been able in ensuring that with open and porous Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan border are not used by elements which are detrimental to our national interest.
FGR: Over the years, the role of the SSB is not merely confined to ensure security along the India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders; what new roles are being played by the SSB in the changing scenario?
AC: Apart from border guarding duties, SSB has been doing other duties like Internal Security duties, Election duties, CI Ops duties, Road Opening Party (ROP) duties depending on the requirement of the day. SSB personnel are regularly being deployed in huge number for different election duties like General Elections, Assembly Elections, Bye-Elections for Assembly, Panchyat Elections, etc. Coys of SSB have also been deployed for IS duties like Kumbh Mela duty, Republic/Independence Day arrangement duties, Commonwealth Security duty, etc. SSB has always responded to the new challenges in most satisfactory manner. In the recent ethnic clashes of Assam, SSB was first to respond and it Coy remained deployed there for more than 05 months. SSB has also been providing protection to convoy of Bhutan since October 2004, the duties which it took over From the Army.
FGR: What have been the major achievements of the SSB over the years?
AC: Guarding the borders which have been traditionally open and porous is major challenge for any border guarding force as people residing on either side of border are accustomed to free movement and hence resist any kind of restriction on their movement. It has been the case with INB and IBB also. But SSB with its people-friendly approach has been able to perform its border guarding duties and has been able to secure 2,450 Kms (1.751 Kms – Indo-Nepal Border & 699 Km Indo-Bhutan Border) open and porous border. After its deployment on ‘lndo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan border, SSB has made large number of seizures and arrests on these borders.
FGR: Is the SSB called upon to play role in rescue operations in natural disasters like earthquake, floods, tsunami etc.?
AC: At present SSB do not have any dedicated force for dealing with natural disaster but SSB is in process of raising 02 Bns of NMD. However, in its area of operations SSB has been rendering help to civil administration in rescue operations, during natural calamities. SSB has played vital role during earthquake in Bhuj & Sikkim, floods in Bihar and in recent time assisting civil, authorities and giving aids to local affected population. The Government of Sikkim awarded the `The Best Disaster Management Agency in Sikkim’ Award to Sashastra Seema Bal for its rescue and relief works during the earthquake in September 2011 (F/A).
FGR: Recent media reports indicate deployment of the SSB in Naxal‑infested areas. Is the SSB personnel well-trained and well-equipped to take up this new challenge?
AC: Government of India has decided to deploy 08 SSB Bns in Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand and Bihar. Earlier also SSB Bn have been deployed in naxal affected districts in Chhattisgarh where 02 of its Bns remained there for around 03 years. SSB was also deployed in Punjab during the peak of militancy and Jammu & Kashmir prior to 2004. SSB officers and men are well trained to take up this new challenge, however as SSB was deployed for border guarding duties and hence certain special equipment required for such area are not available with SSB. However, these equipments are being procured on priority and our personnel will be provided all the necessary gadgets before their deployment in these areas.
FGR: What measures are being undertaken by the SSB to win the confidence and goodwill of the local populace along the border areas under its jurisdiction?
AC: To win over the confidence and goodwill of the local populace along the border areas, SSB is actively promoting Perception Management and Community infrastructure development programmes for the benefit of border populace. These programmes include a series of Civic Action and development activities which are as under: –
- Medical Civic Action Programme
- Veterinary Civic Action Programme
- Mobile Medicine and Ambulance service
- Community Wel rare Program me
- Community Infra-structure Development Programme
- Promotion of Rural sports
- Solar street lighting Programme
- Soft skill development programme for border youth
- Educational excursion-cum-study tours for border youth.
- Distribution of sports gears to rural youth.
- Distribution of community TV sets.
- Safe drinking water (hard water)
- Books for school libraries
- Farmer study tour to agriculture university
- Distribution of seeds and agriculture tools to farmers
- Samajik chetna abhiyan
- Major & Minor publicity campaigns
- Awareness Generation programmes for rural women
- Social Education Programmes for Rual women
- Computer Training for border youth and promotions of information technology
- Construction of community toilets, community’ bathrooms etc.
- Distribution of aids and appliances to physically challenged persons.
- Promotion of social and cultural integration programmes.
FGR: What new challenges do you foresee for the SSB in near future?
AC: There is always a threat of misuse of open border by anti-national and anti-social elements. SSB has to meet this challenge by way of extensive border domination for which SSB is now establishing new BOPs both on Indo-Nepal border and Indo-Bhutan border. Prevention of trans-border crimes especially smuggling, of narcotics, FICN, human trafficking, arms and ammunitions are core area of concern for SSB as Border Guarding Force. Apart from above border guarding duties, SSB Bns are likely to be deployed in large number for anti-naxal duties. Ministry of Home Affairs has already sanctioned 14 Reserve Battalions which will be completely raised by the year 2017-18. With the increasing menace of naxalism these Battalions are likely to be deployed for anti-naxal operations duties for which we have to be ready.
