Villagers with their belongings loaded on tractor-trailers come out of the Sant Kabir Institute relief camp near Fazilka to return to their villages on Wednesday. Tribune photo

Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, October 5

Six days after the Army carried out surgical strikes across the LoC, the border area residents today started returning home. They had been putting up in relief camps set up across the district.“There is no use of staying in relief camps as our ripe paddy crop will get damaged if not harvested soon,” said Zora Singh, a resident of Bakhushah village, who was staying in a relief camp at Sant Kabir Institute, near Fazilka.Manjit Singh of Ram Singh Bhaini village said since the government had ordered reopening of schools, he had brought his children back home to prevent the loss of studies.Some villagers have, however, complained that they are allegedly being forced by government officials to leave the camps and return to the respective villages.Harbans Singh of Bakhushah village, Ashok Singh of Mohammad Pira village, Dalip Singh of Retewali Bhain village and Manjit Singh of Wisakhawala village alleged that he had been told to return home.Official sources said as many as 4,471 residents were staying in 31 relief camps set up in various parts of the district. More than 1,000 have left the camps set up at Sant Kabir Institute, Government ITI, National College, Chuarianwali, Kheowali, Behak Khas, Kirianwali villages etc.Additional Deputy Commissioner Charandev Singh Maan refuted the allegation, but admitted that the villagers had starting leaving the camps and the administration was lending every possible help to those who wanted to return on their own. “In fact, the border villagers started returning home for the education to their wards, to take care of their livestock and to harvest the paddy crop,” he said.