Day 2: Evacuation drive takes a hit

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Thakur Pur (Gurdaspur), September 30

The evacuation drive launched by the administration in border villages yesterday took a hit today as some residents told the police that they would not leave their homes “till firing starts from across the border.”

Scores of shelters designated by the administration wore a deserted look as those who shifted yesterday returned home today.

Those who came back included residents of about 100 villages of Dorangla, Behrampur, Dinanagar, Narot Jaimal Singh and Bamial blocks.

The official statement said 30 per cent of the villagers were evacuated on Thursday. However, in reality just 5 to 10 per cent of the people had gone to their relatives’ homes in safer places yesterday. Today, they too returned with many saying their paddy crop had ripened and hence they could not afford to stay away.

At the Thakur Pur village Observation Post (OP) of the 12 Battalion of the BSF, security men were seen telling the villagers to leave. However, nobody seemed to be listening and residents nonchalantly kept on attending to their daily chores.

Gurdaspur SSP Jasdeep Singh said, “We are telling them that a strike is possible. However, they tell us that strike or no strike they will not go anywhere.”

Residents of the neighbouring hamlets of Srirampur, Jainpur, Kana and Behrampur too have refused to toe officials’ diktat. Today people paid little heed to police gypsies making announcements.

Similar reports filtered in from other places in Gurdaspur district. Likewise, police officials admit that in neighbouring Pathankot district too people are not willing to relocate. SSP Rakesh Kaushal admitted that the policemen were having a torrid time convincing the locals.

Meanwhile, the BSF has stopped farmers from moving across the wire fencing to till their land. At the Thakur Pur OP, till yesterday around 85 farmers, accompanied by BSF jawans, used to cross over daily to till their land. “Since Thursday afternoon, we have locked the gate. We are not allowing anybody to cross over,” said the two jawans manning the post.

Govt ordered evacuation in haste: Villagers  

Abohar: Most families with whom Congress MLA Sunil Jakhar interacted on Friday, during a visit to border areas and camps, questioned the decision of the authorities of getting villages evacuated. Gurdial Singh of Pucca Chishti village said residents had to vacate their village due to wars in 1965 and 1971, floods in 1988 and then following the Kargil war. “We rebuilt houses thrice despite inadequate resources. Five or six families are staying back as it is not convenient to shift cattle,” he said. Many villagers questioned that when the government in neighbouring Rajasthan did not ask border residents to vacate villages, what compelled the Punjab to order evacuation. OC

Special steps for paddy procurement 

Chandigarh: The state on Friday said it had made special arrangements for the procurement of paddy sown near the border. “As soon as the farmers bring their crop, it will be lifted. The growers should not worry about their crop,” Agriculture Minister Tota Singh said. A committee of four ministers has been set up to ensure that farmers living near the border do not face any problem in selling their produce. This committee comprises Tota Singh, Food and Civil Supply Minister Adaish Partap Singh Kairon, Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Industries Minister Madan Mohan Mittal. PTI