Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 25: Army has decided to develop the villages falling ahead of the border fencing along the Line of Control (LoC) in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch with a view to keep direct liaison with the people and maintain strict surveillance on the Pakistani troops and infiltrators.
Army has taken a decision to this effect and would soon be setting the process into motion to develop nearly one and a half dozen villages that fall ahead of the border fencing along LoC in both the border districts. The decision will benefit the people in big way as it would generate lot of facilities for them.
“The Army was going to shell huge amount from itself to develop the villages, which were left ahead of the fencing as troops had to fence the village some distance short of the LoC in the two districts of Jammu region, which share LoC with Pakistan,” official sources told the Excelsior.
They said the Army will cover almost all the villages, numbering about one and half dozen, that fall ahead of the fence in Poonch and Rajouri districts as the people of these villages had to suffer lot of problems though they contribute a lot in maintaining strict vigil on the Pakistan army and infiltrators along with Indian troops as the villages were located very close to the LoC.
According to sources, the people of the villages located ahead of the border fencing had to migrate initially to settle in the camps after the troops erected fencing some distance short of the LoC in few areas and houses of these people were left ahead of LoC. However, in most of the villages, the Army had later allowed the villagers to shift to their houses by holding their head count, issuing them special identity cards and giving them special instructions not to move close to the LoC especially in the case of shelling from Pakistan side.
“Now, the Army has decided that it would be developing nearly one and half dozen villages, falling ahead of the LoC, as model villages by providing the people with various necessary facilities like roads, toilets and water etc. It will also help the civil administration in providing other facilities to the border people,” sources said, adding that on experiment basis, the Army has already started work on developing one of the villages as model village.
They said once the experiment is proved successful, the Army will initiate work on other villages, which have been identified for development as model villages.
According to sources, though the troops have been deployed in strength along the LoC including the areas that have civilian population ahead of fencing in Poonch and Rajouri districts, the villagers (living ahead of fencing) helped troops a lot in keeping hawk’s eye on the activities of Pakistani troops as well as militants, who try to infiltrate into the Indian territory.
“On a number of occasions, these people have given useful information to the troops pertaining to the activities of the infiltrators and Pakistan army,” sources said, adding that development of these villages as model villages will boost morale of the troops and they will be more accessible to the Army.
Sources said about one and a half dozen villages, selected by the troops for development as model villages, fall ahead of the border fencing in Poonch and Rajouri districts and have small number of population.
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