THE Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal wishes to draw the attention of the nation to the conditions prevailing along Bharat’s land borders and the conditions of the people living in villages along the borders. Bharat shares borders with eight countries. It is a matter of regret that Bharat faces border disputes with most of these countries.
The ABKM underscores the need for strengthening border infrastructure along all the land borders. Studies have revealed that border infrastructure is utterly inadequate in many border areas.
The ABKM regrets to note that the 4,057 km long most sensitive Bharat-Tibet border happens to be the most neglected one. In many sectors, carpeted roads end 50-60 km short of the borders, causing immense difficulties to the people living in border villages. Transport facilities are meagre; several villages have a bus service once a week only. Schools have no proper buildings; hospitals don’t exist; electricity is erratic or non-existent; telecommunications facility too is unavailable for many villages. Market places are far off, forcing villagers to crossover to the other side for their daily needs.
The ABKM emphasises that people living in the border villages are also our border guards just like the soldiers guarding our borders. Apathy of the Governments to the plight of these people is dangerous to border security. Lack of infrastructure in these areas is leading to lack of employment opportunities and creating livelihood problems, resulting in migration. Occupation of pasture lands by China in these areas is further aggravating the problems of the villagers.
People living in villages along Indo-Pak border and the LoC have been facing constant threat to their lives from continuous shelling from Pakistan army. Loss of property, livestock and occasionally the lives of people is a norm there. They receive meagre or no compensation for these losses. At many places people of the border villages are compelled to live in camps for years on. Even those in villages face severe problems. Their movements to their agricultural lands are restricted due to fencing , land mines, etc.
Bharat-Nepal, Bharat-Myanmar and Bharat-Bangladesh borders have become safe havens for illegal trade, fake currency, smuggling of weapons, trafficking in human and drugs, etc. Terrorists and anti-national forces use these borders to slip over into neighbouring countries. Bharat-Bangladesh border has remained porous leading to continued large scale infiltration and smuggling of live stock, including cows and its progeny. Mushrooming of illegal madrasas, mosques and settlements on both sides of Bharat-Nepal border has emerged as a serious threat to both the country.
In view of the prevailing situation, the ABKM calls upon the Government of Bharat to:
1. Give top priority to building basic infrastructure like roads, rail network, electricity, water supply, schools, hospitals, etc. along the borders.
2. In border areas constitute Village Defence Committees and give appropriate training and incentives to people in border villages and make them stake holders in border security and management.
3. Constitute an independent border management authority to manage the affairs of all borders.
4. Complete the fencing along Bharat-Bangladesh border and strengthen border security by effective deployment of forces along all other borders.
5. Provide proper compensation to the people who have lost access to their lands due to fencing, land mining, etc.
6. Develop ancient religious and other potential tourist sites along the borders. Encourage border tourism which will benefit the people living in border areas, while at the same time countrymen at large develop emotional attachment with the borders.
7. Create a mechanism for effective operational coordination between military and para-military forces engaged in border security.
8. Develop a mechanism for dialogue and co-operation between the people on the borders and the armed forces
The ABKM opines that the greatest challenge is the defeatist mindset of the Government of Bharat. It is unfortunate that our leadership fails to display its firm commitment to protecting every inch of our territory. The ABKM demands that the Government and its officials should stop parroting that our borders are “not demarcated fully”. It is untrue. Bharat’s boundaries are well defined. Tragically, our leadership lacks courage to assert this historic truth.
The ABKM cautions the countrymen to not assume that the border security is the responsibility of the Government and the armed forces alone. Patriotic countrymen should constantly keep a vigil on the situation along our borders and be ready at anytime to safeguard them.
