TALWANDI SABO, APRIL 13: A major shift in border management, the Central government has initiated the process to move the Indo-Pak border fence closer to the international boundary. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann declared on Sunday that this development follows his repeated meetings with the Union Home Ministry regarding the plight of border-area farmers.
The relocation aims to reintegrate lakhs of acres of fertile land that currently sit behind the security fence. At present, the barrier’s inland placement forces farmers to undergo rigorous daily searches and work under BSF escort during limited daylight hours.
“Farmers are allowed to go beyond the fence for cultivation only at fixed hours decided by the BSF,” the Chief Minister affirmed while describing the current difficulties. “They cannot go before 9 am, they are frisked, and they are accompanied by security forces. After 4 pm, they cannot stay in the fields, and they are again searched while returning.”
Chief Minister Mann declared that the new arrangement will allow farmers to enter their fields without the current barriers, boosting both state revenue and individual livelihoods. He maintained that letters have already been sent to the Deputy Commissioners of Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, and Ferozepur to begin the necessary land surveys.
The state government noted that the move is not only a matter of agricultural convenience but also one of security efficiency. By shifting the fence closer to the 300-meter limit, the BSF will be able to monitor the border more effectively while reducing the time spent screening local citizens.
“I want to announce on this sacred occasion that lakhs of farmers will benefit from this decision,” Chief Minister Mann asserted. He declared that the survey process is being fast-tracked to ensure the demarcations are completed promptly, ending decades of uncertainty for the agricultural families living along the state’s edge.
