Militancy stunts development work in the Jammu region

KS Correspondent

POONCH, Apr 24: The 10 years old militancy has now begun to cast its evil shadow over the functioning of Border Road Organisation (BRO) in the Jammu region. This became apparent when the road construction and maintenance activities on Surnakote--Poonch road had to be suspended recently due to sustained terror campaign unleashed by foreign mercenaries against 2000 unarmed local casual labourers employed in this project.

“Till last year the threats were confined to occasional incidents of intimidation and confrontation by foreign militants, but in the past three months there have been serious threats of physical  elimination of workers coupled with attempts to blow up isolated culverts and construction equipment lying unattended at the work sites,” stated a labourer hailing from a neighbouring village. Loca sources have revealed that the violent incidents perpetuated by foreign militants, in the past few months are due to the simmering discord which has surfaced between the local and foreign militants over sensitive issues affecting the local population.

Targeting an organisation like BRO by foreign militants is understandable as it is one of those premiere institutions which is not only involved in the maintenance and upkeep of thousands of Kms of roads in the Jammu region, but also contribute significantly to the socio-economic upliftment of the remote and inaccessible areas by utilisation of local resources and employment of thousands of local labourers.

“BRO employ 9000 to 10000 local labourers and spends upwards of Rs 5 to 6 crores each month on its various undertakings like maintenance of roads, construction of new roads/bridges and snow removal operations in winter months in the Jammu region alone: actions which are not in consonance with the ideology of militant groups; otherwise manifested through acts of wanton destruction of property, killing of innocent civilians and ensuring untold miseries to the local population by preventing infrastructural development by them”, said an officer on the condition of anonymity.

Whatever may be propagated reasons for their actions, it is apparent that these foreign militants or hired mercenaries have neither any sympathy for the poverty ridden poor labourers nor any care for the sentiments of the local population. By these acts they are simply ensuring their aim of taking Jammu region back to the medieval times.

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