Army de-mines 1,800 acres farmland along LoC

A major chunk of agriculture land along the Line of Control, which was left abandoned following mine laying activity during the Kargil war and Operation Parakram, has been de-mined by the army, bringing cheers to farmers in border areas near Jammu.

"Army has de-mined 14,742 kanals (1,842 acres) agriculture land falling close to Indo-Pak border in Jammu and it has been handed over to border farmers through the state government," Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand told PTI.

"De-mining operation is on to clear rest of the agriculture land," Chand, who took up the matter with the Army and Defence Ministry, said.

Mines were laid on about 3,595 acres of land near LoC in wake of 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, Kargil war and Operation Parakaram, the deputy CM said.

Giving a break up, Chand, who represents the border Chammb constituency, said 13,871 kanals (1,733 acres) of land, which was mined during Kargil war and Operation Parakaram, was de-mined besides 871 kanal (108 acres) of 1971 Indo-Pak war mined land.

"This has brought cheers to the border residents as they got back their land for undertaking agriculture activities," he said.

The de-mining work is undertaken by the Cross-Swords Division of Army.

The de-mining operation along LoC is most tedious and high risk task which has been carried out by our troops bravely, a senior army officer said.