Beset as they are by dry canals and poor harvest, farmers living in villages of Sriganganagar district close to the Pakistan border are not so worried about farming crises as they are about the rampant drug smuggling and frequent visits of police and BSF personnel.
A long stretch of agricultural land lies before the India-Pakistan border begins in Sriganganagar district, and Pakistani territory lies beyond it. Farmers in villages close to the international border said drug supply from Pakistan by use of drones has gone up several times in the recent years.
"Raat ko hota hai yeh sab karobar (These activities take place at night). It is not easy to spot drones at night. The sellers from Pakistan usually drop the drugs on the cultivated fields, and the local dealers collect them. They often do not pick up the packets the same day. They sometimes come after weeks to take the packets away," said Lakshman Singh, a farmer from village 7B near the border. Villagers said they are fed up with police often visiting their homes and enquiring about such incidents, causing panic among the people. "We farmers are poor, and we remain tied to our work. We do not even have a network for smuggling. We always fear about getting falsely trapped in those matters. We are often questioned by officers even though we did anything. We do our bit by helping police and BSF personnel," said Jagdeep Malhi, a resident of 8C village.
A rise in smuggling activities has meant that the youth are falling prey to drugs. The village elders said drugs have reached every household in the region. "Young men here are becoming disenchanted and have a bleak future due to drug addiction," said an elderly farmer.
While accusing Pakistan of smuggling drugs by drones, the villagers claimed that there is a drugs supply nexus apparently running from Punjab. "With Punjab's drug problem having already been highlighted, the security forces are being extra careful there. That is why dealers from both Punjab and Pakistan have targeted Sriganganagar," said one villager.
Families in the border villages live in fear of police framing them in drug smuggling cases without their involvement in such matters.
"This is a problem most villages here face. Unfortunately, even politicians are not helping the people in this matter despite frequent requests," said Jaskar Singh, a farmer.
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