Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 24: The construction work on the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran village was resumed today as Pakistani troops didn’t raise any objection this morning after they were informed by the villagers yesterday that the works are of non-military nature.
The work on a building and play ground remained suspended for two days after Pakistani troops shouted at the construction workers from across the Kishanganga river on Tuesday to stop the construction work on the LoC.
Obeying the directives of the Pakistani troops, the villagers stopped the construction work as the site is under the direct firing range of Pakistani forward posts.
However, yesterday around 100 villagers including the Sarpanch assembled at the bank of the river and told Pakistani troops that the constructions in the village on the LoC are of non-military nature.
Sources said that the Pakistani army had apprehensions that the new building that was coming up on the river bank was a military installation and violation of 2033 ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
According to 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries, neither India nor Pakistan can raise any military constructions within a range of 150 metres from the LoC.
After the Pakistani troops were conveyed that the building belongs to school, the troops had told the villagers that they will come back today morning at around 9 a.m. But today they didn’t return and the villagers resumed the work at around 10 a.m.
Pakistani troops had told the villagers that they had orders from the top to stop the work but when convinced that the constructions are of non-military nature, the troops informed the villagers that they will inform the higher ups first before allowing any such constructions.
Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Itrat Hussain Rafiqi said that the work was resumed today after it was conveyed to Pakistani troops that the construction was meant for civilian use and had nothing to do with any defence establishment. He said that the work was resumed and the Pakistani troops didn’t object.
The State Government was developing a children’s park, play ground and improving facilities of a school including construction of a library building under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP).
Keran was adopted as a model village under the BADP and Rs 2.45 crore was earmarked for improving the facilities at a village which includes setting up of a community centre, creating sheds, laboratory for a school and improving road facility.
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