watermelons on Indo-pak border courtsey farmer's sweat

Zero Line

Realigned border fencing brings cheer to farmers

Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Samba, June 18

The Zero Line between India and Pakistan has seen much bloodshed over the years but when a farmer manages to plough this land with his sweat, the produce is often sweet.

Next to the Zero Line, near Majra village in Samba district, the produce is virtually dripping sweet - in the form of watermelons. Most of the fruits this season came from this belt. And all this has become possible only after the Border Security Force (BSF) realigned the border fencing to bring it to the Zero Line from its earlier position of nearly 500 m into the Indian side.

Consequently, the farmers have now reclaimed over 4,650 acres “fenced out” earlier along the 192-km international border from Kathua to Akhnoor. With each acre of this fertile land capable of producing 15 to 20 quintals of wheat or paddy besides vegetables, maize and fodder, the reclaimed land is a major boost to the farmers’ financial condition and the state’s economy.

“The water level is 40-60 ft here and we usually grow three to four crops a year. But due to fencing, we couldn’t cultivate the land between the fencing and the Zero Line while Pakistan farmers had no such problems,” Kulwant Singh, a farmer, said.

“The farmers do not need a kisan card now to cultivate up to the Zero Line.Earlier, they had to prove their identity to go beyond the fencing.The work hours were restricted,mostly between 9 a.m and 7 p.m.But now they can go up to midnight or later also”,said a BSF spokesman.

When asked what if spies or terrorists took advantage of the proximity of the fields to the Zero Line or if Pakistani troops opened fire, the spokesman replied: “There is a ceasefire on the international border. Our posts keep a watch on the activities and no one is allowed to cross it as the fencing is on the Zero Line,” said the spokesman.

Janak Singh, nambardar of Nanga village, said the land was lying vacant for over 10 years.’During and after the Kargil war,there was routine firing and shelling.We could not go near the border.Then fencing came up.As a result, the land left out turned dry or marshy,but now we are ploughing it again”.

He said following a special request of villagers, the BSF sent a guard along whenever anyone went near the Zero Line.”It wasn’t easy for the government and the BSF to convince farmers to reclaim the land”.

The new fencing also keeps away animals coming from the Pakistan side.

When asked about the loss of so many years since the Kargil war, Kulwant Singh, a farmer, lamented: “The state and the Centre, both had promised us compensation of Rs 5,000 per acre but we have not got anything hitherto.”