Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 11: A high-level delegation of Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) tonight held high-level review of security situation in Jammu region with top officials of Army, para-military forces, police and civil administration after visiting forward villages on the Line of Control (LoC) in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, which had been badly hit by Pakistan army’s mortar shelling and firing during past about six months, leading to a number of casualties and heavy losses of property.
Rina Mitra, Special Secretary (Internal Security), MHA, the delegation leader chaired security review meeting at Jammu Convention Centre in which she reviewed situation prevailing along the borders and hinterland and steps being taken by the security forces and administration to maintain peace and help the border dwellers.
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The meeting among others was attended by visiting MHA officials including Gyanesh Kumar, Joint Secretary (Internal Security) MHA, RK Swarankar, Director MHA, Principal Secretary Home RK Goyal, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Dr Mandeep K Bhandari, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Tiger Division, Jammu, representative of 16 Corps, Nagrota, IG BSF Jammu Ram Awatar, IG Jammu Dr SD Singh Jamwal, DIG CRPF and Deputy Commissioners of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts.
The security review came after the MHA delegation concluded its two-day visit to border areas of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts this evening. While the MHA Study Group had visited International Border yesterday, they visited LoC today including Dhanaka, Langar and Jhangar villages in Nowshera sector and Terwan in Poonch sector.
Soon after their visit, Pakistan violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing in Khari Karmara area of Poonch sector for few minutes. However, there were no casualties or damage in Pakistan firing.
The Study Group, set up by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, will return to New Delhi tomorrow. Later, they would visit Kashmir and Ladakh before finalizing their recommendations. The Group has been tasked by Rajnath to suggest permanent steps for resolution of problems faced by the border dwellers due to frequent mortar shelling and firing by Pakistan army on LoC and Rangers on the IB.
Sources said top officers of Army, BSF, CRPF, police and civil administration gave their viewpoint on the situation prevailing in the hinterland and borders with Pakistan in Jammu region and steps that the MHA could take to address problems of the people living within shelling and firing range in the five districts as their life remained completely disturbed due to ceasefire violations.
Sources said the MHA delegation joined by J&K Government officers visited Dhanaka, Langar and Jhangar villages on the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district and inter-acted with the people to know their problems. Later, they visited village Terwan on the LoC in Poonch sector.
The people of LoC raised number of issues including construction of individual bunkers and schools for the border people in safer zones, land for them in safe areas, compensation for the land, which can’t be cultivated due to Pakistan shelling and firing, special recruitment drive for the youth of LoC, developmental works under Border Area Development Programme (BADP), equipping local hospitals with all possible facilities including ambulances for emergency treatment of the firing victims and host of other points.
Sources said the delegation leader, Rina Mitra, told the border dwellers that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has deputed them to assess problems of the border people and submit report to him to address them. She said the Centre and State Governments would take all steps to mitigate their problems.
The delegation also visited two Government schools in Nowshera sector, which had come under Pakistan shelling and where students and teachers had to be evacuated in bunkers after being trapped for several hours. They also inspected some bunkers constructed by the district administration of Rajouri for the border dwellers.
DIG Rajouri-Poonch range Deepak Salathia, DC Rajouri Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary and SSP Rajouri Yougal Manhas accompanied the delegation to Nowshera sector.
Yesterday, the delegation had visited RS Pura sector in Jammu district, Ramgarh in Samba and Hiranagar in Kathua district, all falling along the International Border. Today, they covered areas on the LoC. During their next visits, the delegation would tour LoC in Kashmir followed by LoC with Pakistan and LAC with China in Ladakh before finalizing their recommendations and submitting them to Rajnath Singh.
Sources said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs proposed to take up all possible necessary measures to solve problems of the people living along LoC and IB to whom Rajnath Singh had described as “strategic assets” during his four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir from September 9 to 12 which also included his tour to Nowshera sector as the people were worst sufferers of constant shelling and firing from Pakistan side.
This year, there have been large number of ceasefire violations on the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts in which many security personnel and civilians were martyred while number of others were injured besides several houses were damaged and cattle perished. Pakistan has also suffered large number of casualties and damages in retaliatory firing and shelling by the Indian troops.
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