Talwandi Sabo: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said the Centre has decided to shift the border fencing closer to the International Border (IB), emphasising that the move will bring major relief to farmers who have long been forced to cultivate under tight BSF restrictions.
With surveys now ordered across border districts, the move will bring lakhs of acres back within the fenced area, allowing farmers greater access, crop choice, and freedom from limited farming hours and repeated security checks, the chief minister said.
“We had raised this issue many times with the Union Home Minister for the sake of our farmers living along the border. The fencing along the international border with Pakistan extends 3-4 km into Indian territory. As a result, their fields are left beyond the fence,” Mann said in a statement issued here.
The farmers for long had been forced to cross the fence with identity cards and under BSF escort to reach their own fields, facing daily hardship and uncertainty along the 532-km India-Pakistan border where fencing lay deep inside Punjab’s territory.
Surveys have now been ordered across the border districts. The move will bring lakhs of acres back within the fenced area, allowing farmers greater access, crop choice, and freedom from limited farming hours and repeated security checks, the CM said, who was in Bathinda’s Talwandi Sabo for the inauguration of the sub-divisional secretariat office complex.
“Letters have been issued to deputy commissioners (DCs) of border districts —Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, and Ferozepur — to conduct surveys and assess how close the fencing can be moved to the international border in keeping with the rules,” the CM said. Sub-divisional magistrates have been asked to conduct surveys so that a 300-metre area can be demarcated for the implementation of this decision well in time, he added.
“We had raised this issue many times with the Union Home Minister for the sake of our farmers living along the border. The fencing along the international border with Pakistan is 3-4 km inside the Indian territory. As a result, their fields are left beyond the fence,” Mann said in a statement.
Explaining the challenges faced by border farmers, he said, “Farmers are allowed to go beyond the fence for cultivation only at fixed hours decided by the Border Security Force (BSF). They cannot go before 9 am, they are frisked, and accompanied by security forces.
This is to ensure that no smuggled goods or weapons are brought back. After 4 pm, they cannot stay in the fields and are again searched while returning.
Pointing to the benefits, Mann highlighted, “Lakhs of acres of land will come within the fenced area, allowing farmers to cultivate freely.”
Emphasising security and relief, he said, “This will also make it easier for the BSF, as being closer to the border will improve visibility and help prevent anti-social activities. I want to announce on this sacred occasion that lakhs of farmers will benefit from this decision.”
Mann also demanded an exclusive railway service connecting all five takhts across three states.
A dedicated train should start from Amritsar, where Akal Takht is situated, and connect to Keshgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib, Patna Sahib in Patna, Bihar; Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra and Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, the CM said.
“As a parliamentarian, I first raised a demand in 2017 to create a Sikh pilgrimage circuit, as it is feasible. All holy places, except Damdama Sahib, are well connected with the railway network. As the Centre is laying a 20-km track to Talwandi Sabo, it will further ease the travel plan for Sikhs,” Mann added.
Lauding the centre’s Women Reservation Bill, the CM said that AAP strongly supports women’s participation in all spheres, particularly electoral politics.
