India returns demined land to Cambodian villagers

Under the Quick Impact Project (QIP) scheme of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, land cleared of landmines and unexploded ordnance has been returned to the residents of Kaoh Pao Village in Cambodia’s Koh Kong Province.

Approximately 197,810 square metres of land were handed over to the community, a move expected to benefit roughly 134 families. The cleared land will allow villagers to safely engage in farming, housing construction, and other socio-economic activities.

The handover ceremony was attended by officials including Tanu Priya, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Cambodia; Y. Nearynet, Deputy Governor of Koh Kong Province; and Tep Kallyan, Deputy Secretary General of the Cambodia Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA).

India has provided humanitarian assistance to Cambodia’s demining efforts since the early 1990s, offering technical assistance, training, demining equipment, and mine detection dogs.