KARGIL: Army engineers from the Fire and Fury Corps sanitised flood-affected farmland in Karkit village of Badgam, Kargil, after flash floods along Jala Nala raised concerns over the presence of suspected drifted mines in the wheat cultivation belt, enabling villagers to safely resume agricultural activities.
The operation was carried out on August 18 following a requisition from the Civil Administration, according to the Indian Army. Engineers undertook a comprehensive sanitisation of the affected farming area to address the suspected mine threat created in the aftermath of the flash floods.
The affected belt comprises wheat cultivation areas used by local farmers. The suspected presence of drifted mines had prevented villagers from safely accessing the fields and resuming agricultural work.
Following the sanitisation operation, the affected farming areas were cleared for villagers to safely return to their fields and continue agricultural activities.
The operation highlights the secondary risks that can emerge in the aftermath of flash floods, particularly when floodwaters disturb and shift potentially hazardous material into agricultural areas.
The Army’s intervention, undertaken at the request of the Civil Administration, was aimed at restoring safe access to the affected farmland and enabling the local farming community to resume its livelihood activities.
