Illegal infiltration, transborder smuggling among issues discussed at EZC meet

Illegal infiltration, transborder smuggling and other issues related to the India-Bangladesh boundary were discussed at the 25th Eastern Zonal Council (EZC) meeting, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at the West Bengal secretariat near here, a senior official said.

Talks on transportation facilities and water-sharing among the states were also held at the 25th EZC meeting, which was attended by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her counterpart from Jharkhand Hemant Soren, Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav and Odisha minister Pradeep Amat, the official said.

Shah, who is the chairman of the council, was accompanied by five home ministry officials at the meeting that began around 11 am and lasted for a little over two hours.


Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Odisha's Naveen Patnai skipped Saturday's session.

Shah later met the Bengal CM at her chamber on the 14th floor of the secretariat, the official said.

The Union minister is likely to leave for Shillong from here, the official added.