Jammu, May 2: The army today turned down the plea of Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand to hand over the land at Gigrial and adjoining villages to the farmers for cultivation of crops.
“Gigrial and other villages were located at the Zero line and Army was not in a position to handover the land to the villagers due to security reasons. The army would find the alternate for the convenience of farmers,” Tara was told by the Major General, GOC 10 Infantry Div K. Majumdar.
After touring the village, Tara met Major General, and raked up the issue pertaining to the land acquired by the Army for the mining and other purposes.
Tara was told that the land other than that on the zero line would be de-mined and handover to people. “But for land on acute border line which is a high security zone area, compensation or rent would be the given to the farmers,” the deputy chief minister was told adding the locals would not be made to suffer. 
Tara later convened a meeting and informed that Army had already started de-mining work of 13 mine field of which the work on three has been completed and handover to farmer besides the work on two was under process and remaining eight would be completed before monsoon.
CO 19 Sikh Regiment Col Harpreet informed Tara that in various areas de-mining had not been possible due to security reason. He assured that Army would allow the villagers of Gigrial and other villages to go for cultivation beyond these mine fields by providing alternate route. He said that work on de-mining had been started.
Tara said the Army would be conducting recruitment drive for border youth on May 3.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 2 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 2 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 3 May 2010 00:00:00 IST