Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 22: Member Parliament, Shamsher Singh Manhas raised the issue of border farmers in Rajya Sabha during zero hour today. The MP made a fervent appeal to the Defence Minister that either the order of land vacation should be revoked or farmers of Khour Block be provided an alternate land so that their livelihood is be snatched.
Manhas said that recently a deputation of farmers have apprised him and raised concern about the vacation of their agricultural land in block Khour of Jammu district. The farmers of village Chak Malal and Dhaloti in Jammu region are scared about the livelihood of their wards and future as Defence Ministry has issued an order to vacate the agriculture land which is 14 KM away from Line of Control.
Manhas while raising the issue in Rajya Sabha said that land adjoining to the Line of Control was acquired by the Defence (Army) after 1965 war with Pakistan for security reasons. This agriculture land is 14 KM away from the Line of Control which falls in Chak Malal and Dhaloti village of Khour block of Jammu region. Livelihood of more than thousand families depends upon this agriculture land, he added.
He said Defence Ministry has now issued an order asking farmers to vacate this agriculture land who are cultivating it to feed themselves. This order may snatch the livelihood of the border farmers of two villages. He said that people of the border areas are already suffering from cross border firing and another such step will harm their families which are totally dependent on agricultural activities. He made a request to Defence Minister to revoke such order or either provide an alternate land to these farmers so that farmers will get some relief. He said that keeping in view about the sufferings of more than 1000 families which were affected through the decision and reminded that Central Government is committed to provide equitable development as our slogan is Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas.
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