Border village farmers harried as BSF curbs access along fence
The BSF has installed a new small fence ahead of the barbed fence restricting the farmers’ entry to their fields through the causeway. RAJBIR SINGH, a farmer of Kakkar village
AMRITSAR : The farmers of five villages situated along the Indiapakistan border in Amritsar district’s Ajnala sub-division are a worried lot these days as they are still to till their land ahead of the paddy-sowing season.
They alleged that the Border Security Force (BSF) has restricted their access to the causeways along the barbed fence on both sides, making it difficult for them to visit their fields.
Scores of farmers of Kakkar, Manjh, Lodhi Gujjar, Hetampur and Tanjurai villages said due to the closure of the causeways, they were forced to carry their agricultural equipment, including tractor-trailers, to their fields through fields of others.
Nearly 1,500 acres of land belonging to the residents of these villages is situated on both sides of the fence. While the causeway on this side of the fence is 22-foot wide, the one on the other side has a width of 14 feet.
“The BSF has installed a new small fence ahead of the barbed fence. The new fence is around 2 km long, restricting the farmers’ entry to their fields through the causeway. The BSF officials told us to pave our way through the fields if we want to till our land,” said Rajbir Singh, 45, of Kakkar village, who owns 7 acres across the barbed fence.
Sakattar Singh, (42), who owns 15-acre land across the barbed fence, said, “We were asked not to use the two ways after we harvested our wheat crops. We faced difficulty managing the crop residue. If the issue is not resolved, we will not sow paddy this year. We are already facing a tough time due to the pandemic.”
Kabal Singh Muhawa, district president of the Punjab Border Kisan Union said, “No such restriction has been imposed in other border villages of the state. We met the company commander several times, but to no avail. We also approached senior BSF officials, but no one is listening to us,” he said.
BSF public relations officer (PRO) deputy inspector general (DIG) Kuldeep Singh said he will get the matter checked.