The Border Safety Power (BSF) and the Ministry of House Affairs (MHA) are “actively contemplating” a proposal to shift the safety fence nearer to the Worldwide Border (IB) with Pakistan in Punjab and elements of Jammu area.
Particular Director Basic, Western Command, BSF, Y B Khurania confirmed that proposals relating to shifting the fence in direction of the IB in Punjab and Jammu have been submitted to the federal government. “This entails points like acquisition of land and compensation. The BSF can be in favour of shifting the fence forward wherever it may be achieved,” he stated at an annual press convention held just lately.
A BSF officer instructed The Indian Specific that the transfer will assist farmers in six Punjab districts entry their fields within the restricted space (between the safety fence and the IB) extra simply and likewise hold them protected from wild boars that destroy crops and assault them.
A senior BSF officer on the pressure’s Punjab frontier headquarters in Jalandhar instructed The Indian Specific, “This transfer may also assist the style through which border patrolling and administration are achieved.”
Undesirable ‘company’ from Pakistan
As per the Punjab Border Space Kisan Union, practically 45,000 acres of fertile authorities and personal land falls within the restricted space. The undulating fence alongside the 461-km IB with Pakistan was erected between 1988 and 1993 to guard Punjab when militancy was at its peak within the state. As a result of uneven terrain, the gap between the fence and the IB varies from just a few toes at some locations to just about 2 km at others.
For farmers primarily based in Fazilka, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts of Punjab, shifting of the fence will imply freedom from wild boars and drones, each from Pakistan. Whereas the animals destroy crops and gore farmers engaged on the parts of their fields falling within the restricted space, drones usually use the villages there as drop zones for smuggled medicine and weapons.
Kals village resident Gursewak Singh, whose 11 acres fall within the restricted space, stated, “Wild boars from Pakistan destroy practically 60-70 per cent of the crop rising on the restricted land however we don’t obtain any compensation. These animals additionally assault farmers. Now we have reported this to the federal government, together with the Deputy Commissioner, on a number of events.”
His village is so near the IB that residents can hear the hum of visitors on Pakistan’s Lahore-Kasur Street. However the noise that really bothers them is one made by drones. Residents say they will hear the drones however can’t see them since these units develop into energetic solely at night time.
Sarabjeet Singh, a neighborhood resident, stated a drone hovered over a home within the village at night time just a few months in the past, dropped some packets of medication and flew away. “Fortunately, the household inside the home was awake and reported the incident instantly,” he stated.
“Our villages get a nasty title due to these drug drops. Earlier, smugglers used plastic pipes throughout the fence to drop medicine or weapons in our fields. Now, they’re utilizing drones,” he stated.
Seizures and surveillance
Based on knowledge launched by BSF’s Western Command, 97 drones and 755 kg of narcotics have been seized up to now this yr. The information additionally revealed that 15 assorted rifles and 38 pistols have been seized, 36 Pakistani nationals held and 9 Pakistani intruders killed alongside the IB/Line of Management up to now this yr.
Particular DG Khurania stated vulnerability mapping has been carried out alongside the India-Pakistan border to strengthen surveillance by deploying automobiles and extra particular surveillance groups 5-6 km from the border. BSF officers say built-in surveillance know-how, full with CCTV/pan-tilt-zoom cameras, infrared sensors and infrared alarms with Command and Management System, can be being put in on the IB.
Surjit Singh Bhura, the vice-president of Punjab Border Space Kisan Union, stated the farmers will wholeheartedly welcome the transfer to realign the fence.
“Now we have noticed fewer circumstances of smuggling in areas the place the fence is nearer to the border. Based on authorities guidelines, the fence needs to be no less than 50 metres from the IB and at a most distance of 150 metres. When you stroll alongside the fence at this time, it’s 2 km from the border at locations,” he stated.
Farmers say the transfer may also alleviate the issue of restricted entry to their land. Gates that at present grant entry to the restricted land are opened for farmers for just a few hours on designated days of the week. Nevertheless, there are restrictions on the quantity of people that can work near the border and the variety of tractors they will take to until their land.
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First uploaded on: 29-12-2023 at 06:44 IST