Residents of nearly 1,000 villages in Punjab districts bordering Pakistan are being evacuated following escalation of tension between India and Pakistan after surgical strikes by the Indian Army across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
The villages being evacuated as a preventive measure include 300 in Ferozepur district, 290 in Gurdaspur, 137 in Amritsar, 135 in Tarn Taran, 65 in Pathankot and 60 in Fazilka.
Punjab shares a 553-km border with Pakistan.
Congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the "bold step" of ordering the surgical strikes, Mr Badal dubbed the army operation as "kamaal da (great work)".
Punjab Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal said that schools, community centres, marriage palaces and other infrastructure were being used to accommodate evacuated people.
Mr Badal said the Punjab government will not raise the issue of expenses incurred on the evacuation with the Centre at this juncture.
Army columns with artillery moved towards Punjab's border with Pakistan today amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan after the surgical strikes by special forces across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
Army convoys could be seen moving towards the various Punjab districts bordering Pakistan, including Fazilka, Ferozepur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Pathankot.
The Border Security Force (BSF) was mobilising its troops and strengthening the security along the border.
The BSF has cancelled the Retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border joint checkpost at Attari, 30 km from Amritsar, officials said.
The villages being evacuated as a preventive measure include 300 in Ferozepur district, 290 in Gurdaspur, 137 in Amritsar, 135 in Tarn Taran, 65 in Pathankot and 60 in Fazilka.
Punjab shares a 553-km border with Pakistan.
Congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the "bold step" of ordering the surgical strikes, Mr Badal dubbed the army operation as "kamaal da (great work)".
Punjab Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal said that schools, community centres, marriage palaces and other infrastructure were being used to accommodate evacuated people.
Mr Badal said the Punjab government will not raise the issue of expenses incurred on the evacuation with the Centre at this juncture.
Army columns with artillery moved towards Punjab's border with Pakistan today amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan after the surgical strikes by special forces across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
Army convoys could be seen moving towards the various Punjab districts bordering Pakistan, including Fazilka, Ferozepur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Pathankot.
The Border Security Force (BSF) was mobilising its troops and strengthening the security along the border.
The BSF has cancelled the Retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border joint checkpost at Attari, 30 km from Amritsar, officials said.
