BSF, Home Ministry Consider Moving Border Fence Closer To Pakistan In Jammu And Punjab Regions; Here's How It Will Help

A proposal to move the security fence closer to the International Border (IB) with Pakistan in Punjab and parts of the Jammu region is currently under active consideration by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

YB Khurania, the Special Director General of the Western Command, BSF, has affirmed that suggestions about relocating the fence closer to the International Border in Punjab and Jammu have been presented to the government.

He explained that this process encompasses matters such as land acquisition and compensation. During a recent annual press conference, he stated that the BSF supports the advancement of the fence wherever feasible.

An officer from the BSF informed The Indian Express that the initiative will facilitate farmers from six districts in Punjab to reach their fields in the limited area (situated between the security fence and the International Border) more conveniently. Additionally, it will protect them and their crops from the damage and attacks caused by wild boars.

A high-ranking BSF officer from the Punjab frontier headquarters in Jalandhar informed The Indian Express that this initiative would also improve the way border patrolling and management operations are conducted.

According to the Punjab Border Area Kisan Union, approximately 45,000 acres of productive public and private land lie within the restricted zone. The irregular fence, stretching along the 461-km international border with Pakistan, was constructed between 1988 and 1993 to safeguard Punjab during the height of militancy in the region. The variable landscape causes the distance between the fence and the international border to range from just a few feet in some areas to almost 2 km in others.

The proposed relocation of the fence in the districts of Fazilka, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Pathankot in Punjab will bring relief to local farmers. This move will mitigate the damage caused by wild boars and drones originating from Pakistan.

The boars not only ruin crops but also pose a threat to the farmers working in the restricted areas of their fields. Additionally, the drones frequently use these villages as drop-off points for illicit drugs and weapons.