Land mined during Op. Parakram demined, 602 acres returned

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Rattan Sharma

20 July, 2010

As has been reported earlier a total of 1954 acres of land was mined by the army during Operation PARAKRAM. Till date 602 acres of land has been handed over after de-mining in four phases.

IN A series of phased return of land acquired for laying minefields to the farmers, the Crossed Swords Division today handed over another 37 acres of land to its rightful owners of village Channi Dewanu in Jammu provice. As has been reported earlier a total of 1954 acres of land was mined by the army during Operation Parakram. Till date 602 acres of land has been handed over after de-mining in four phases.

Over the years army is making concerted efforts, to reach out to the fellow citizens in the far flung areas, deprived of the fruits of Nations progress by helping them in a small, but long lasting way. It has constructed, schools, vocational training centers, conducted medical and veterinary camps. With this spirit and concern for fellow countrymen; The Crossed Swords Division has taken upon itself to return the land acquired during 2001’s Operation Parakram. Army during the war times, to prevent the infiltration from across the border, had laid down different types of mines along the borders.

Then, farmers of the bordering Khour block had willing come forward to sacrifice their land and means of livelihood for nation’s defence.

The army has decided to alleviate their hardship by demining and returning the land to the tiller. The process of de-mining is a very tedious process fraught with risk to life and limbs. World over millions of mines remain laid, left behind by warring parties, in various parts of past conflict zones - regularly maiming and killing innocents. However, the Indian Army, keeping with its honourable traditions, has taken this risk upon itself to return to its fellow countrymen, their land in a completely safe condition.

The land was handed over in a simple ceremony held at Dhar (Chhani Dewanun) on July 19 in presence of army and civil officials. The land documents of 296 kannal and 17 marlas was formally handed over by a Battalion of ‘Sentinels of Chenab’ Brigade to the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Akhnoor Ashok Sharma.

''It was not less than a celebration time for the farmers when the land was handed over to them after demining along LOC by the Army in Pallanwala area,'' official sources said.
The smile was well gauged on the faces of farmers as they prepared to cultivate the land after the demined piece was handed over to them.

The people in the area were all praise for the Indian Army saying that they have come as an Avatar for their families. The land was demined to rehabilitate the displaced farmers as they had been living in miserable conditions after being deprived of the farming avenues. Earlier, some land was also handed over on July 5.

Farmers, in these areas bore the brunt of 1965 and 1971 wars and more recently, the Indo-Pak conflicts of 1999 and 2001.