August 18, 2002	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Saani 8, 1423

NEW DELHI, Aug 17: A number of organizations have called for the withdrawal of the Indian army deployed along the border with Pakistan in Rajasthan on a plea that the army is draining the meagre water resources available to the people in the drought-hit border districts of the state, the Hindu newspaper said on Saturday.

Activists belonging to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) said the army was depleting large volumes of the water which could otherwise have been used for irrigating agricultural land.

Heavy mining along the border districts has rendered stretches of grassland inaccessible, forcing people to abandon their livestock or go in for distress sales, the NGOs said.

Extensive laying of landmines in the area has already claimed about 40 lives.

The Indian army has been deployed in Rajasthan along the more than 1,000 kilometre-long border with Pakistan since an attack on the Indian parliament in December last year.

The Indian government has ruled out demobilizing troops. —dpa