Zero line cultivation gains pace

A tractor cultivating land on IB in Hiranagar sector on Friday. -Excelsior/Pardeep
A tractor cultivating land on IB in Hiranagar sector on Friday. -Excelsior/Pardeep

Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Oct 23: To speed up the Zero Line cultivation on International Border in Hiranagar Sector, the district administration put into force latest machinery to remove the bushes, unwanted roots of tree in the fields.
Two latest Mould Board plough added in ploughing the fields and make it ready for wheat cultivation after a long gap of 18 years. The Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, O P Bhagat accompanied by BSF officials, officers of Agriculture Department and Industries Department visited the Zero line border area at Manyari and supervise the Zero line cultivation process going on forward area of International Border.
The Deputy Commissioner also handed over two latest machine Mould Boards to BSF which were given Kathua Industrial Unit Association for the welfare of border farmers. The latest machine was put into job and started ploughing in bushy area by BSF tractors to prepare the fields in border belt for wheat cultivation.
The border farmers have abandoned their fields in forward areas across Zero Line due to ceasefire violation by Pakistan Rangers. The fields are not cultivated since last 18 years due to firing. Now the UT Government took initiative to cultivate forward area after a LG, Manoj Sinha visited Hirangar Border area and listened the border farmers who wanted cultivation of abandoned fields.
The Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, OP Bhagat said that on first phase 1300 acres of land will be cultivated and sowing of wheat crops will be started from 10th November. So that two more machine were added in land leveling and make it ready for cultivation before 10th November. He said that the Zero line cultivation will help the farmer to get their cultivation process revive after long time, BSF jawan get easy assess to guard the border and there should be check on insurgency sponsored by Pakistan.