Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 23: The Central Government has released Rs 10 crores and assured the State Government to release more shortly for acquiring land and construction of protective shield all along 198 kilometers long International Border (IB) in Jammu region to save civilians from firing by the Pakistani Rangers and curb infiltration by the militants from across the border.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which was directly monitoring the project for construction of embankment along the IB covering all three districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua along the borders, has released Rs 10 crores as first installment for acquiring land from the people for construction purposes. It has assured the State Government that the funds would be no problem as the proposed embankment would not only check infiltration of militants but also serve as protective shield for the civilians from firing with small arms, automatic and semi automatic weapons excepting mortar and rocket launchers.
“Of Rs 10 crores, the Government has kept Rs 5 crores each at the disposal of Samba and Kathua districts’ administration for acquiring land from the people for the construction purposes while more amount including acquiring land in rest of the villages would follow soon,’’ sources said, adding that the State Government has designated Divisional Commiss-ioner, Jammu Shant Manu as the Authority for monitoring entire work including acquiring of the land by the Deputy Commissioners and works connected thereto.
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has been designated as the Authority for construction of the protective shield.
Sources said the proposed 135 feet width embankment with 10 feet height would include fencing. However, the marshy land and rivulets falling along the IB will be covered with culverts and bridges connected by the road. Entire border area including last post of the BSF located on the IB would be connected with the road having parallel communication network and all other facilities required for any kind of anti-militancy operations.
As already reported, the State Government has fixed March 31 deadline for acquiring the land for construction of embankment along the border.
“A total of 118 villages fell along the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts. The process to acquire land was nearly complete in 68 villages while in remaining 50-odd villages it would be completed well before March 31 deadline,’’ sources said, adding that the MHA officials were in constant touch with the State Government for completion of acquiring land before starting ground work for construction of the embankment or the protective shield.
According to sources, the proposed embankment will serve twin purposes—one, it would help the BSF in checking infiltration of the militants and second, it would protect the people living in forward areas from sudden firing as the embankment would be constructed in such a way that it saves the villagers from the firing. However, sources admitted that mortar shells and rocket launchers could still hit the villages as they can surpass the height of 10 feet proposed for the embankment.
However, infiltration by the militants will be effectively tackled from the International Border once the embankment is complete. The militants have carried out a number of terror attacks on the Indian side after infiltration from the IB as there were some areas, where they can breach the border fencing while in some areas of marshy lands and rivulets, either there is no fencing or it get washed away in the rains.
From Kathua to Akhnoor, Jammu region has 198 kilometers long International Border with Pakistan, where the Rangers continued to target the civilians and the BSF posts with mortar shells and firing from automatic and semi automatic weapons. A number of BSF jawans and civilians have been killed in unprovoked Pakistan shelling and firing on the IB last year and first week of this year.
Sources admitted that the embankment could also serve as protective shield for the villagers from immediate Pakistan firing till they shift to the safer zones, which were also proposed to be raised by the MHA for the people living within firing and shelling range of Pakistan for which a separate proposal has been prepared by the State Government for approval of the Union Government.
According to details of the proposal, a total of 47012 families spread over 220 villages falling within firing and shelling range of Pakistan have been identified by the administration, who would require 12,435.75 kanals land for rehabilitation in the safer zones in three districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua.
The proposal revealed that maximum number of 153 villages and 40094 families required rehabilitation from the border villages in Jammu districts. They would need 10464 kanals land in safer zones if each family is allotted five marlas plot. Jammu will be followed by Samba district whose 5143 families living in 43 villages would need 1278 kanals of land in the safer zones while Kathua district with 22 villages and 1775 families was in need of 693.75 kanals land for rehabilitation of the border dwellers.
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