Protection bundh along IB for safety of border farmers soon: BSF IG
The BSF IG was on a visit to a forward village in Samba sector to felicitate a man Bhagwan Dass, who had detected a Pak drone in his fields on January 17. Jammu and Kashmir Police has given him a cash award of ₹3 lakh and BSF, on the same day, had awarded him with a cash prize of ₹50,000.
Inspector general of BSF’s Jammu frontier DK Boora on Thursday allayed fears of Indian farmers to harvest their crops sowed on agricultural fields beyond border fence on India-Pak international border.
The BSF IG was on a visit to a forward village in Samba sector to felicitate a man Bhagwan Dass, who had detected a Pak drone in his fields on January 17. Jammu and Kashmir Police has given him a cash award of ₹3 lakh and BSF, on the same day, had awarded him with a cash prize of ₹50,000.
On embankment project (bundh) all along the 198 km long Indo-Pak international border, he said the Union home ministry has approved the proposal and it will be completed within next five years.
“If you think that after cultivating your land beyond fence you won’t be able to harvest your crops, then I assure you that we would not allow such a situation to arise and we would not allow them (Pak) to harvest theirs,” said the BSF IG, who encouraged the Indian farmers to cultivate their fields beyond the barbed fence without any fear.
He, however, urged the farmers and their womenfolk to adhere to BSF timings for going beyond the fence and falling back well in time before the dusk.
“We are contemplating bunkers near the agriculture fields beyond the fence, so that the farmers can take refuge in the event of a contingency during day time. During night, the BSF can use them for performing our duties,” he said.
It may be stated here that in a bid to secure Indian territory from Pakistan terrorists, intruders and smugglers, India has raised barbed fence on the Indo-Pak border and in the process fenced out vast chunks of agricultural fields of the Indian farmers.
The IG said the BSF wants farmers to cultivate their land while adhering to rules.
“In the next four to five years, we will have an embankment along the IB. It would secure the farmers from Pak firing, who in turn could work safely in their fields. In the event of firing, they won’t be affected anymore and can be moved to safety,” he said.
Earlier, Boora and Samba SSP, Vinay Kumar felicitated Bhagwan Das, son of Amar Singh, of Nandpur village.
On January 17, Das had seen a drone lying in his agricultural land. He immediately informed the nearest BSF troops, who subsequently recovered the Pak drone from his field.
In recognition of his swift action, Boora and SSP Samba felicitated him with reward of ₹3 lakh at a function held at Baba Chamliyal shrine in the Ramgarh area of Samba district.
Villagers of Chani Fatwal, Chak Nazir, Nandpur, Pindi, Dug, Abtal and Kaku-Da-Kotha, along with school children were present at the felicitation function.