Sir,
Apropos letter written by Mr Sunil Salgotra from Kathua in the esteemed paper. I thank you for highlighting the problems of the border villages. While reading one such letter (D E dated 01 Sep 2014), I was moved to read about the plight of the little children of the border villages under fire who cannot even attend schools for weeks, besides other problems. It is not a new phenomenon and will continue, perhaps even more often in the days to come with Pakistan in turmoil.
J&K Govt. is planning to make some bunkers in the villages, although that is not the answer, yet these are required for immediate safety. But to find a permanent solution to this problem, as you know, even border fencing has not stopped infiltration. In fact it has created more problems like tunnels, mine laying, loss of land under the fencing and ahead of the fence besides creating tactical problems due to tall wild growth providing cover to them. The answer is to provide clusters of one room tenement where the families can fall back and where children schooling is not affected. In fact schools and dispensaries should also be relocated in such a way that border people can continue using them during border firing/shelling. The State Govt. in consultation with the Army and Central Govt. should prepare a plan for future immediately.
Yours etc…
Maj Gen Goverdhan Singh Jamwal
AVSM, MLC (Retd.)
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