Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 17: In order to further fortify the International Border (IB) with the Pakistan in Jammu sector, the Border Security Force (BSF) will raise 180 kilometer long bandh all along the border from Hiranagar up to Akhnoor and State Government has geared up the exercise for acquisition of land required by the border guards.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that about a year back the Ministry of Home Affairs took a decision to further fortify the International Border with the Pakistan by constructing 180 kilometers long bandh in Jammu sector and accordingly the issue was taken up with the Jammu and Kashmir Government for handing over of land to the Border Security Force (BSF).
Thereafter, the Border Security Force worked out the land required for construction of bandh all along the border and projected the requirement before the divisional administration with the request to complete the process of land transfer within shortest possible time so that work on the project of much importance from security point of view could be taken up as early as possible, sources said.
In response to a question, sources said, “the Border Security Force has projected the requirement of 135 feet wide strip all along the International Border from Hiranagar in Kathua district up to Akhnoor in Jammu district”, adding “after carrying out detailed exercise spread over several months by deputing field functionaries of the Revenue Department, the Deputy Commissioners of Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts have identified the villages along the International Border where land will have to be handed over to the Border Security Force for the construction of bandh”.
“The land will have to be acquired in 119 villages of three districts by the State Government before handing over to the BSF authorities and at present preparation of necessary revenue documents is going on”, sources said while responding to another question and disclosed that revenue documents in respect of 84 villages have been completed while as the exercise for remaining villages was going on at a rapid pace.
“This exercise is taking time as revenue documents are required to be prepared village-wise that too with utmost care so that neither villagers nor the Border Security Force face any problem during the land acquisition and transfer proceedings”, sources said.
After preparation of revenue documents, the divisional administration will work out the compensation required to be paid to the villagers, whose land will be transferred to the border guards for construction of bandh, and accordingly the compensation amount would be conveyed to the concerned authorities of BSF.
Replying to another question, sources said, “as much time has already been taken the State Government recently issued explicit directions to the Deputy Commissioners of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts for getting the entire exercise completed within shortest possible time”, adding “the entire exercise is likely to be completed within another six-seven months”.
The bandh, which would be constructed within 135 feet area from the fencing on this side, would go a long way in further fortifying the International Border, sources said, adding besides being of immense importance for the border guards from different aspects, the bandh would also help in preventing the villagers from coming in the line of fire from across the border”.
Follow our WhatsApp channel