Jammu, April 14
A majority of migrants, living in miserable conditions in camps in Jammu, have turned down the government’s offer to them that they would be given all amenities in clusters to be built for them in the Kashmir valley.
In one voice, the camp dwellers and leaders of various Pandit organisations have criticised the government plan of carrying back the migrants on an experimental basis.
“It is better for us to be lodged in jails where we can get food and are secure against any militant attacks,” said Bal Kishen and Mohan Lal Ganjoo.
Rinku Raina, another camp dweller, in Muthi camp, said, “We live in sub-human conditions, but we feel we are safe in the camps. The current security scenario is most
unconducive for our return.”
Dr Ajay Chrungoo, senior leader of Panun Kashmir, a premier organisation of the migrants, said, “The government seems to have turned a blind eye towards the increase in the level of violence in the Kashmir valley.” He said, “Militants have stepped up armed attacks on security camps. They have eliminated a large number of Muslim civilians. Sikhs have started thinking of migrating from the valley.”
Dr Chrungoo wanted to know as to why the government wanted to experiment with the Kaul Committee report by carrying a few hundred families of Hindus to Kashmir when even the Muslim families feel unsafe in Kashmir.
The state government had set up a committee, headed by Mr M.L. Kaul, Additional Chief Secretary. The Kaul Committee submitted its report to the government on July 24, 1997. Under the recommendations of the committee, the government had to spend Rs 2800 crore for raising one-room tenements in Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramula.
The committee had suggested that Rs 750 crore should be spent on renovation and reconstruction of fully or partially damaged houses. It said there were about 4600 houses fully damaged in the rural areas, and about 7,000 in the urban areas. Nearly 7,000 houses of the migrants had been partially damaged in different parts of the valley.
Later, the government prepared an Action Plan, under which 2,000 migrant families were to be taken to Kashmir. The first phase of the experiment was to make some 13 clusters fit for habitation in Anantnag district. These families would be encouraged to live in their ancestral houses which were to be renovated at places where security pickets had been established.
Another aspect of the plan was to build 1,000 one-room tenements in Anantnag, 1,000 in Baramula and 5,000 in Srinagar city. The state government, according to the Revenue Minister, Mr Abdul Qayoom, had sent a proposal to the Centre seeking Rs 43 crore for phase one of the action plan.
Under the plan, those migrants who returned to Kashmir were to receive cash relief and free ration for one year. Even the migrant employees would receive their monthly salary even while sitting at home. Each room was to be built at a cost of Rs 1 lakh.
Dr Chrungoo said that on an average, 10 to 15 civilians got killed per day in Kashmir and under these circumstances it was not safe for the displaced families to return to the valley.
A.K. Bhan, Chaman Lal Koul and Roshan Lal were highly vocal and said, “We will prefer being lodged in Tihar Jail to being sent to Kashmir.”
