Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 22: In a major people-friendly decision, Army today cleared vast chunk of land from anti-personnel and anti-tank mines from the fields located close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district and decided to go ahead with the similar drive in other areas along LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Army jawans of Engineering Regiment under Ace of Spades Division launched the drive today in Lam sub sector of Nowshera tehsil in Rajouri district this morning on requests of local civilians and administration to clear the vast chunk of fields from the mines, both anti-personnel and anti-tanks to help the civilians work in their fields.
The operation launched by the Army jawans, who have specialized training in de-mining the fields, launched the operation from Lam sector this morning and continued till this evening. The jawans of engineering regiment recovered a large number of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines from the fields and kept them in isolated areas.
“The mines will be defused safely by the Army personnel away from the civil population to avoid any casualties,’’ sources said, adding that the troops planned to carry out similar operations in other areas along the LoC in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch to help civilians move right up to the LoC to graze their cattle and cultivate their land.
Sources said some of the mines have been defused on spot while others would be blasted in the safer areas.
“Today’s de-mining drive was confined to parts of Nowshera sector along but it would be extended to other sectors as and when required as Army wants civilians to benefit from peace prevailing along the LoC by cultivating their land and graze their cattle. However, this would be possible only if the forward areas were de-mined,’’ sources said.
Several forward areas of the LoC were mined by the troops at the height of ‘Operation Parakaram’ in the wake of escalated tensions between India and Pakistan when Pakistan-backed militants attack on the Parliament. As the tensions had eased, some of the areas were de-mined while others remained mined.
A number of security personnel, their porters, civilians and their cattle have suffered casualties, both fatal and non-fatal due to mine explosions in forward areas along the LoC. These mines explode when human beings or animals stepped over them.
“As peace was not prevailing along the LoC in the two border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in the aftermath of September 21, 2015 Brigade Commander level meeting barring day of shelling in Shahpur sector of Poonch district this month, the villagers have pleaded before the Army and the civil administration for de-mining of their fields to help them cultivate their land along the LoC,’’ sources said.
The people in Lam sub sector of Nowshera in Rajouri district have strongly appreciated the Army for acceding to their request and de-mining their land, which would help them immensely.
According to sources, the people living close to other forward villages in Rajouri and Poonch districts were also waiting for de-mining of their land and the Army was likely to de-mine more land shortly to help the civilians.
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