Lok Sabha Question No. 1470 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-26
Subject: Ceasefire Violation
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: SHIVKUMAR CHANABASAPPA UDASI, VASANTHI M.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1470

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 26 TH  JULY, 2016/ SHRAVANA 4, 1938 (SAKA)

## CEASEFIRE VIOLATION

1470. SHRI SHIVKUMAR UDASI:

## SHRIMATI VASANTHI M:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether incidents of ceasefire violations by firing from across the border have been reported at the borders;
- (b) if so, the number of such incidents reported during the current year and the number  of  deaths  and  injury  to  civilian  and  security  forces  along  with  the damage to property reported, State and border wise;
- (c) whether the Government has any plan to build community bunkers along Indo-Pak and Indo-China borders for protection against shelling;
- (d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  areas  identified  and  funds  earmarked there for along with the number of villages/persons likely to be benefited;
- (e) the measures taken by the Government to curb incidents of ceasefire violations and to take up the matter with the Pakistan Government; and
- (f) the response of the Pakistan Government thereto?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

- (a)  &  (b):The  details  of  ceasefire  violations  alongwith  casualties/  injuries  to Security Force (SF) personnel and civilians during the current year along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LC) in J&K, are as under: -

## LS.US.Q.No. 1470 FOR 26.07.2016

| Name of the Location   |   No. of ceasefire violation | Causalities/ injuries to SF/ civilians   |
|------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| LC                     |                           14 | Causality-01                             |
| IB                     |                           02 | Nil                                      |

- (c) & (d)A project for construction of 60 bunkers @ Rs.5 lakh each i.e. total cost  of  Rs.3  crore  along  International  Border  for  safeguards  of  the civilians during cross border firings has been approved.

(e)&  (f)The  following  measures  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  to check ceasefire violations at the borders:

- i) Director General level talks in between BSF and Pak Rangers was held at New Delhi in September, 2015 in which both sides agreed to restrain from cross border firing.
2. ii) Proper  defence  preparedness  (including  strengthening  of  Nakas, field fortifications, high mast lights etc.) is ensured on the International Border.
3. iii) Immediate and effective retaliation by BSF Personnel is carried out to instances of unprovoked fire and ceasefire violations.
4. iv) Mechanism  has  been  instituted  at  Border  Out  Posts  (BOPs)  and border areas to expeditiously inform the villagers on occurrence of cross-border firing.

## LS.US.Q.No. 1470 FOR 26.07.2016

- v) BSF  regularly  interacts  with  border  population  situated  close  to border and educates them not to move in vicinity of areas prone to unprovoked fire without prior information / permission of BSF.
2. vi) Bullet  Proof  bunkers  and  ambulances  are  kept  in  readiness  at convenient locations for evacuation of persons in case of emergency.

(vii)  Diplomatically, India has repeatedly emphasised, including at the highest level, the need for Pakistan to uphold the sanctity of the Line of Control (LC) and abide by the ceasefire commitment of 2003 along the International Border and LC. Ceasefire violations are taken up with Pakistani  authorities  through  the  established  mechanism  of  hotlines, flag  meetings  as  well  as  talks  between  the  Directorate  General  of Military Operations.

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