Border farmers will be allowed to harvest crop: CM Badal

Barth Sahib, October 1

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday assured the residents of border villages, who were moved to relief camps, of “all the help”.

He said despite the tension in the Indo-Pak border region, farmers will be allowed to carry on with their agricultural activities.

The villages in the border areas are being evacuated in apprehension of retaliation from Pakistan to the Army’s recent surgical strikes on terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Addressing a gathering during his whirlwind tour of the relief camps in Pathankot district here, Badal said the crops were as dear to the farmers as their children.

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He said he had spoken to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in this regard, who had immediately directed the Border Security Force (BSF) to allow the farmers of the border region to harvest the crop, adding that the Centre had also permitted those farmers, who had their land across the fence, to reap and lift the crop.

Describing the border residents of the state as “true patriots”, the Chief Minister said that braving all the odds, these hardworking sons of the soil contributed immensely towards the development of the state and the country.

He added that these bravehearts served their motherland in the true sense by confronting the enemy everyday.

Badal said his government was “duty-bound” to extend a helping hand to these people who had to leave their homes after escalation of tension between India and Pakistan.

The Chief Minister said the villages in the border regions were evacuated as per an advisory of the Centre, adding that he, along with the top brass of his government, was regularly monitoring the arrangements at the relief camps.

Praising the district and police administration for setting up the relief camps, he said every official must serve those at the camps diligently at this hour of crisis.

“There is no need to panic as the state government is committed to serving the bravehearts of the border region,” Badal said.

During his visit to the relief camps at Barth Sahib and Bamiyaal, the Chief Minister interacted with the people there and enquired about the arrangements.

Later, talking to reporters, he said the villages were evacuated to ensure the safety of the residents, adding that in a situation like this, the “enemy” could not be trusted as it could make “any move”.

Meanwhile, addressing a gathering of the residents of the border region at Dharamkot, Badal congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Army for the surgical strike on terror camps in PoK, saying the NDA government has given an apt answer to Pakistan for supporting terror groups against India.

“The unprecedented, courageous, heroic and decisive act of Modi hardly finds any parallel across the globe,” he said.

“Pakistan had been testing India’s patience by sponsoring attacks in Mumbai, Parliament House and other places. It crossed all limits in Uri attack. So, India led by Modi gave a befitting answer to Pakistan by destroying terror launch pads,” Badal said.

He complimented district officials for the arrangements in relief camps and said the evacuation of people from within 10 km radius of the border was a gigantic task. But the administration has performed it aptly.

The Chief Minister said the state government has decided to give power connections to every household in the border region. Also relief will be given to the farmers of these areas, whose land falls across the border fence. — PTI