Bharat Priye leads stir in border village Channi Tana, flags plight of farming community in J&K

JAMMU: Raising serious concerns over the worsening condition of the farming community in Jammu & Kashmir, JKPCC Kissan Department Chairman J&K UT and President of Border Kissan Welfare Association, Bharat Priye, today led a strong protest at border village Channi Tana in Sub Division Khour.Addressing a large gathering of farmers under the banner of the Border Kissan Welfare Association, Bharat Priye highlighted the “burning issues” confronting the agrarian community, particularly those residing along the International Border who have repeatedly borne the brunt of cross-border shelling and firing.

Bharat Priye strongly demanded that the government allot at least 10 marlas of land to each border farming family at safer locations. He said the border farmers have always stood firm and patriotic, never abandoning their ancestral lands despite repeated Pakistani firing.“These farmers are the first line of defense. They have faced bullets and bombs, yet they continue to cultivate their fields with unmatched courage,” he said. He stressed that providing small residential plots in safer zones would offer security to families during tense situations while allowing them to continue agricultural activities in their native villages.

The protest also focused on the devastating impact of monsoon rains, floods, and untimely showers that have severely affected standing crops across border belts. Bharat Priye stated that unpredictable weather patterns have “broken the backbone of the farming community,” leaving small and marginal farmers struggling to survive.He pointed out that repeated crop damage has pushed many families into debt, with no adequate compensation or timely relief measures reaching them. He demanded immediate assessment of losses and release of special financial packages for affected farmers in border areas of J&K UT.

Among other key demands, Bharat Priye called for waiver of power tariff bills for farmers, especially those operating tube wells and irrigation pumps. He argued that rising electricity charges, coupled with declining farm incomes, have made cultivation economically unviable.He also flagged several pressing issues affecting the farming community, including inadequate crop insurance coverage that leaves many farmers without proper financial protection in times of loss. He expressed concern over the delay in compensation for shelling-related damages, which further aggravates the distress of border farmers.

Bharat pointed out the lack of proper irrigation facilities in many rural and border areas, making agriculture heavily dependent on erratic weather conditions. He also highlighted the shortage of fertilizers and quality seeds, which hampers productivity and increases cultivation costs. Additionally, he criticized the poor implementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP) benefits in remote border belts, stating that farmers there are often deprived of fair returns for their produce.He urged the UT administration to adopt a comprehensive policy exclusively for border farmers, recognizing their unique challenges and sacrifices.

Bharat Priye appealed to the government to initiate dialogue with representatives of border farmers and formulate a time-bound action plan to address their grievances. He warned that continued neglect of the farming community could lead to severe socio-economic distress in rural areas. The protest concluded with a strong resolution demanding immediate intervention from the government to safeguard the interests, dignity, and livelihood of the farming community in Jammu & Kashmir, particularly those living along the border who continue to serve the nation silently through their resilience and hard work.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Panchs Tarsem Singh, Bakshi Ram, Balwan Singh, Rajesh Sharma and Deepa Singh, besides several other local residents and farmer representatives who extended their full support to the demands raised during the protest.