*BSF, Army fail to reach consensus on project
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 30: Union Ministry of Home Affairs has shelved the plan to acquire more land along the International Border in Jammu region for its further fortification because of divergent views of Border Security Force (BSF) and Army on the project. Due to this, Rs 10 crore spent on land already acquired on the instructions of border guards has become unfruitful.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that during 2012-13 the Ministry of Home Affairs decided to further fortify International Border with Pakistan from Hiranagar to Akhnoor in three districts of Kathua, Samba and Jammu by acquiring land from the civil administration.
Accordingly, a formal request was made to the State Government by MHA and subsequently the civil administration set into motion the process to acquire 132 feet land from the International Border so as to facilitate the Border Security Force (BSF) to carry out further fortification works.
As the land was to be acquired in 119 villages of three districts, the civil administration started preparing the revenue papers by deputing special teams of the Revenue Department as BSF was repeatedly pressing for early handing over of the land for which even sufficient money was placed at the disposal of administration in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, sources informed.
After hectic exercise spread over more than two years, the civil administration started making acquisition of land by paying compensation to the land owners, sources said while disclosing that in this process an amount of around Rs 10 crore was disbursed in three districts having International Border with Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention here that out of 119 villages where 132 feet corridor was to be provided to the Border Security Force, 72 are in Jammu, 17 in Kathua and 29 in Samba and formalities for transfer of land were completed in 90% of the villages. The Principal Secretary, Home Department of J&K even attended several meetings in the Ministry of Home Affairs to explain the progress in making required land available to the Border Security Force.
However, in the middle of 2014 the MHA changed its strategy and decided to take up 15 villages out of total 119 on pilot basis for further fortification of International Border. “But in the recent past the entire project has been shelved by the MHA and civil administration has explicitly been told to wait for further instructions in this regard”, sources said.
“The project has been shelved at a time when an amount of around Rs 10 crore has already been disbursed to the people in lieu of the land taken to meet the requirement of 132 feet corridor of the BSF”, sources said, adding “now the civil administration has landed in peculiar situation as neither it can take money back from the civilians nor the acquired land can be put to use for any other purpose because of being in close proximity to the border”.
The plan of acquiring 132 feet land had generated ray of hope among those people who had earlier given 44 feet corridor for construction of fencing without being paid in the shape of rental or compensation during the past several years. This is because 44 feet earlier acquired land was included in the proposed 135 feet corridor.
“However, the latest development has given shock to those civilians who were yet to be paid compensation for 44 feet corridor and were pinning hope on getting the same during the acquisition of 132 feet corridor”, sources said.
About reason behind shelving of the plan, sources said, “Army has not put any weight behind the proposal of the BSF on certain defence related aspects”, adding “the MHA should have consulted the Defence Ministry before asking the civil administration for acquisition of land as both BSF and Army are the key stakeholders from security and defence point of view”.
When contacted, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal confirmed that BSF has asked the civil administration not to go ahead with the land acquisition for the proposed 132 feet corridor. He also admitted that huge amount has already been disbursed to the civilians for acquisition of land.
“It is the prerogative of the MHA and Defence Ministry to chalk out strategies for the borders and the civil administration only acts as facilitator”, he said in response to a question.
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