Despite the ongoing tension at the Indo-Pak border, the farmers in the State’s border-belt with Pakistan would be allowed to harvest their produce at “every cost”.
Announcing this, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday said: “The crops are as dear to the farmers as their children and they could not bear this loss at any cost.
Badal, while speaking on the sidelines of his visit to border areas of Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts, said that in view of the current situation, he had taken up the issue with the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who had directed the Border Security Force to allow the farmers of the border region to harvest their crop.
likewise, he said that the Centre has also allowed the farmers, having their land across the barbed fence inside the Indian territory, to reap and lift their crop.
Punjab shares 553-km border with Pakistan and six districts—Pathankot, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur — in the state lie close to the international border.
People in nearly 1,000 villages falling within 10-km radius of the international border were asked to be evacuated following the advisory of the Central government in view of an apprehension of retaliation from Pakistani side after Indian Army carried out surgical strikes across the line of Control (loC).
A number of villagers in some districts had refused to leave their homes on the grounds that they need to tend to their crops and cattle and also look after their properties.
Providing further reprieve to the farmers residing within 10 kilometres radius of the Indo-Pak border, Badal also announced to depute special officers for ensuring prompt and hassle-free procurement and lifting of paddy from this region.
“I have directed the Food and Civil Supply Department to depute special officers to ensure procurement and lifting of grains from the border region falling within the 10-km radius of the Indo-Pak border,” he said.
Badal said that he, along with the top brass of the state government, was regularly monitoring the arrangements in relief camps to facilitate the people.
The Chief Minister said that it was his duty to visit the people in border areas of the state in this hour of crisis to share the agony faced by them.
Assuring fulsome support and cooperation to the people, Badal assured them that the state government would take every step to safeguard their interests at every cost.