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| Reaping benefits of peace process |
| He lost his farm when the border fence was moved further inland from the zero line.
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| INDIA
, 17-September-2007
1:10:51 AM |
| The government has decided to shift 38 kilometer border fencing and move it closer to the zero line on the international border in Jammu.
Its relocation is mainly aimed at bringing relief to the border farmers.
A career change at 70 has not come easily to Barkat Singh.
But he's tried by setting up his little grocery shop in Nanga village on the Indo-Pak border as he had little choice.
He lost his farm when the border fence was moved further inland from the zero line.
''Only those who have an I-card can cross the fence. How can a lone person go and till the land, and water it and carry out the harvesting? It's impossible for a single person to do all the work,'' said Barkat Singh, Farmer.
Constant shelling and firing from Pakistan had led to the border fence being moved and the farmers were allowed into their farms only under very strict restrictions.
But now with the ceasefire in place since 2003, the government has decided to move the border closer to the zero line, thus opening up farms that had been practically off-limits all this time.
''We have to strike a balance between the National security and these issues, now they are not able to go across the fencing during night, if fencing is moved ahead, they would be able to work day and night,'' said J B Sangwan, Additional DIG, BSF.
For many this move comes as a blessing in disguise.
''It will be very beneficial for us and it's very good, we can go to do the farming during day and during the night and earn a livelihood for our families,'' said Gurmeet Kaur, Farmer.
What was a mine field before, is now green with standing crops.
When the border fence is moved right up to the zero line, it's expected to bring in even more prosperity and a sense of normalcy in the border villages.
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