Thousands evacuated from border villages

Even as the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have asked for evacuation of civilian population from more than 150 villages falling within 10 km from the borders with Pakistan after declaring a high alert, most of the border-dwellers have stayed back in the absence of adequate or even bare minimum facilities available at the alternative locations identified as being “safe”.

The schools and other educational institutions in the border-belt and some other areas of the districts of Samba, Kathua and Jammu as also parts of Rajouri have been closed indefinitely in anticipation of retaliation by the Pakistani troops to the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army across the LoC on Wednesday night.

The authorities have told the local residents that they may use the premises of some of these schools and also community halls and places of worship in the areas which are unlikely to fall in the range of the enemy fire as alternative temporary accommodation.

On Thursday and Friday, buses were sent to many villages to evacuate the people and transport them to temporary locations at “safer locations” about 20 km away from the International Border (IB). “But many people refused apparently because they do not want to leave their properties unattended. Also they are worried about their livestock and standing crops”, said a police official over the phone from Kathua.

However, several border-dwellers told visiting reporters that they decided to wait and watch and were reluctant to leave also because the authorities have yet to make sufficient arrangement for their stay at the places which have been identified as “safer locations” by them.

“They are providing us shelter at places miles away from where we live but what about other basic needs How will we prepare food and from where can we get safe drinking water ” Shayam Lal Chib, a resident of Nagri Parole, asked.

The government officials, however, said that thousands of border-dwellers have already moved to safer locations from the villages falling in close proximity to the IB in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts and LoC in Rajouri district as a precautionary measure. Most of them have moved out with their livestock and personal belongings. “No doubt, this is peak harvesting season but they do realise that their lives are more important than anything else and are, therefore, cooperating with the authorities” said one of the officials assigned the duty of helping the people to leave what could turn out to be “dangerous locations” in the event of Pakistani shelling and firing or active hostilities breaking out between the facing troops.

One official estimate put the number of the border-dwellers who have migrated to safer places during the past two days as 26,000 and most of them belonged to the areas close to the IB declared as out of bounds for all civilian movement. However, locals said the actual number of migrants is much less and that many people who had left on Thursday returned to their homes as there has, so far, been no retaliation from the Pakistan Rangers. Also, many families have instead of temporary accommodations being provided by the government shifted to the homes of their relatives living at places away from the border.

The officials at Kathua said that the border areas on the other side of the IB too have been evacuated of the civilian population. “We didn’t hear the azan for Fajr (dawn) namaz being made by muezzin from any of the mosques in Shakargarh area (on the Pakistani side of the IB) today,” said one of them.

Meanwhile, the authorities said that apart from making school buildings, community halls and some other government premises available for the migrants, they have placed critical care ambulances, disaster rescue and relief teams at their disposal.

An official statement issued in Jammu said that Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chander Parkash Ganga, on Friday visited border villages including Keso Manasa, Govindgarh, Nanga, Dag and Nandpur where he assured the people that elaborate contingency measures have been taken by the government to meet any eventuality. He also issued instructions to all revenue officers to closely monitor the situation and take immediate measures to ensure safety of the people living in villagers close to border.

Earlier, DC of Kathua, Ramesh Kumar, visited Bobia and Pahar Pur villages in the district’s Hiranagar sector to interact with local people and issue advisory to them on safety measures. He also informed the villagers that 20 locations for relief camps have been identified with necessary basic facilities in place.

Mr. Kumar, the official statement said, also held a meeting with senior officers from all the departments including essential services and camp officers to review the status of relief measures and requirements of various camps. “He instructed the officials for immediate response to the requirements at camps and to provide all facilities to the people of border areas who were shifted as precautionary measure,” the statement added.

The authorities have also set up a dedicated 24 hour helpline/control room at the DC office Kathua besides identifying temporary shelter camps to accommodate the affected families at Government Degree College Hiranagar, various schools at Chhan Rorian, Ragbagh, Chadwal, Challan, Chandwan, Gurah Mundian, Mela, Hiranagar, Chann Khatriyan, Banyari and Gadyal and ITI Hiranagar.

Meanwhile, the authorities said that the Pakistani troops opened fire from small arms along the LoC in Akhnoor area of Jammu district early on Friday. “There was small arms firing along the LoC in Pallanwala, Chapriyal and Samnam areas of Jammu district during the night,” Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Simrandeep Singh, said. He added that the firing started at 12.30 am and continued for about one hour but “There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the firing.”