Border dwellers want state-of-art bunkers

Vikram Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 24

In the wake of continuous shelling on the border and frequent displacement of residents to safer places, a demand for state-of-the-art bunkers has been raised so that residents can take shelter nearby instead of moving far from their homes for safety.

Due to renewed heavy shelling by Pakistani forces on Sunday night in RS Pura, Arnia, Abdullian, Gajansoo and Marh, residents were forced to leave their homes around midnight and take shelter in nearby bunkers or run to safety.

While a six-year-old child and a BSF jawan were killed, residents alleged that the border was getting frequently volatile after the September 29 surgical strikes had left them on the run every now and then.

“Since we can’t leave home for good, we want construction of state-of-the-art bunkers by the state government. Those should include bedding for women, the aged and children and provision for cooking so that we don’t have to panic and run,” said Mohan Singh Salathia.

The 65-year-old farmer of Arnia owned a large chunk of fertile land near the international border. Over 20,000 concrete bunkers would be built along the Line of Control and international border for the safety of residents living in border areas.

A proposal was submitted to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for the construction of 20,125 community type bunkers at various places along the Line of Control and international border in the Jammu division.

The residents added that while the state government had been contemplating handing over five-marla plots at safer places, community bunkers were an immediate need which could solve problems of residents.

“In the wake of firing, we can take shelter in such bunkers and can remain near our houses and livestock. If simple bunkers for livestock are built, those will add to safety,” said Trilok Dass, another farmer at Arnia.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had released Rs 3 crore in December last year for the construction of 60 modernised bunkers for residents of border areas while giving its nod to thousands of bunkers in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts.

“We are looking into problems of border dwellers in the wake of firing from Pakistan and will raise this issue with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. We will ensure that community bunkers are built with requirements for safety and security of all, including the aged, children and women,” said state BJP chief Sat Sharma.

Rajya Sabha member Shamsher Singh admitted that the demand raised by border dwellers were genuine and should be given due attention.

“I will take it up with the Union Home Ministry and ensure that community bunkers with security pickets are sanctioned and work started immediately,” he said.