Army de-mines farm land near LoC, hands it back to owners

Sariya is the last polling station on Indian side along LoC in the Lam sector. A few years ago, the Army had de-mined large stretches of agricultural land in the plains of Palanwala sector near Akhnoor. But clearance of mine fields in border areas in Pir Panjal region is significant as these fall on known infiltration routes of terrorists crossing over from Pakistan.

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Owing to four wars with Pakistan since 1947 and largescale ceasefire violations from across LoC, a large quantity of “unexplored blind bombs and explosives lay scattered all over the agricultural land in the region”, said Colonel H S Billing, Commanding Officer of the Engineering Regiment.

“As peace has been prevailing, troops have decided to de-mine areas where these are not needed,” said Billing. He, however, did not give details as to how much area had mine fields and where these were being removed. Mine fields laid by Indian Army were recorded, and were laid with owners’ consent, he said.

Pointing out that Army’s Engineering Regiment took 63 days to clear nearly 60,000 sq ft area of 86 mines, officials said the real challenge before them was non-availability of any record about mines which had been laid by Pakistani troops during the wars. While clearing the land of mines in Nowshera, the troops used drones to first map the area.

Despite precautions taken by the Army, several people and livestock get killed or injured every year in mine explosions. Except a meagre payment to some victims, no compensation has been paid to any person so far.