Ferozepur villagers battle it out against odds

Anirudh Gupta

Along Zero Line (Ferozepur), October 2

Having borne the brunt of the 1965 and 1971 wars, besides frequent flooding of their fields by the swollen Sutlej, farmers of villages along the border are at the receiving end again.

“Already reeling under debt, we can’t afford to lose another crop,” said Resham Singh of Tindiwala village. “Those having influence get compensation, but marginal farmers like us are often left in the lurch,” he added.

“The government has told us to evacuate, but no assistance has been provided so far. We have no option but to leave our children and the elderly with relatives living in the city,” said Makhan Singh of Rajoke village, adding that they were returning home daily to take care of their crop and the livestock.

“Leaving behind home and hearth and relocating to a relative’s house or relief camps at such a short notice is not easy,” said Gurdip Singh of Kamalewala village.

Karan Singh Dhaliwal, president, Border Area Sangharsh Committee, said the farmers had finally been allowed to go across the fence for harvesting, but for those having land close to the international border, problems persisted. “It’s difficult to arrange labour or harvester combines during these troubled times,” he added.

The families residing in Kaluwala — known as “Kala Pani” — and other villages are sandwiched between Pakistan and the Sutlej. It took much persuasion by the administration to ask them to evacuate. However, despite living on the edge, these villagers have always risen to the occasion. “Our stomachs might be empty, but our hearts are filled with the spirit of sacrifice for the motherland,” said Parkash Singh of Hazara Singh Wala village.