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Refugees leading miserable lives despite ceasefire Gupta’s plea to PM on train service Working committee of
Panthers Party dissolved 3-day philately exhibition ends |
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Refugees leading miserable lives despite ceasefire Jammu, November 27 Most of these refugees, from Pallanwala, Panjtoot and adjoining border, villages are not prepared to return to their villages though more than 10,000 persons have gone back soon after the ceasefire. "The year-long ceasefire has nothing new to offer. We continue to live in tattered tents where the civic amenities are missing," says Mr Bansi Lal, a camp dweller. He adds, "We do not trust Pakistan.If the firing and mortar shelling is resumed, our children will have to face severe odds again." Others say, "Our houses have been damaged by Pakistani mortar shells and we do not have money to rebuild or renovate them.In case we go back and later are forced to migrate to safer places owing to shelling and firing from across the border, we may not get the tented colony where we have been living for the last five years." The camp dewellers support the ongoing peace process.But they want a "durable peace" and a strong committment from Pakistan that it will not restart "pounding our villages by mortar shells." The scene in other border villagers has changed, with guns having fallen silent on the LoC during the last one year." At least we have been spared the hardships we faced in camps. We have been able to restart our cropping practices," says Mr Sujjan Singh, who had returned to his village in the Pallanwala sector seven months ago. He says "We have had a peaceful existence during the last seven months. We no longer sleep inside the rooms during summer. We keep electric bulbs switched on till late at night. Prior to the ceasefire, we had to observe a complete blackout lest our houses were targeted by Pakistani gunners." He adds "We are working hard on our fields so that we can pay the lenders, from whom we had borrowed money when we were in camps." The villages are critical of the government for not fulfilling its commitment of giving cash assistance to the migrants for repairing their houses. Those living in the camps say, "We were promised small plots and financial assistance for building houses in safer areas during the last two elections. So far, neither has land been allotted to us, nor has money been given to us." State government functionaries say the matter has been referred to the Centre on more than one occasion. They say, "Without financial assistance from the Centre, we cannot grant any cash assistance to the migrants." They say since chances of durable peace between the two sides are bright, the need for allotting alternative places for building houses to the migrants may not arise. Talking about border fencing, some villagers say, "Though it has helped in reducing the level of infiltration, it has, at the same time, caused a lot of inconvenience to us." "As a portion of our land is on the other side of the fence, we have to pass through the gates with permission from the security forces," say several villagers. They, admit that restricted movement has become a thing of the past after the enforcement of the ceasefire. Senior functionaries of the Department of Agriculture say the production of various crops has increased in the R.S. Pora, Hira Nagar, Samba and Akhnoor sectors after the ceasefire as more than 20,000 acres in these areas have been brought under cultivation after a gap of five year so. In the wake of heavy firing and shelling from across the border, more than 60,000 persons had migrated to safer areas in the border belt of the Jammu sector. With the announcement of the ceasefire, people had started returning to their villages gradually. It took more than four months for over 45,000 migrants to go back to their ancestral hamlets. "And if the current lull on the border continues,those in the camps will also go back to their homes,"a senior police officer says. |
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Gupta’s plea to PM on train service Jammu, November 27 In a statement here, Prof. Gupta pointed out that there was resentment in Udhampur against the delay in launching the train service. He said though Rs 510 crore was spent on constructing the 53 km long rail line, the train service had not been started. Staff at the railway stations had been posted and security personnel deployed at bridges and tunnels. Prof Gupta recalled that the foundation stone of the rail project was laid in April, 1983, by the then Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, with a promise to complete the link within five years. But the project remained a non-started after the Assembly elections. |
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Working committee of
Panthers Party dissolved Jammu, November 27 The Executive Committee consists of among others, Mr Harshdev Singh, Education Minister, Mr Yash Paul Kundal, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Mr Faqir Nath and Mr Balwant Singh Mankotia, both MLAs. The election of the block presidents and the delegates shall be completed by December 10 and the election of the district presidents shall be held between December 10 and 15. |
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3-day philately exhibition ends Jammu, November 27 In his valedictory address, Prof Amitabh Mattoo, Vice-Chancellor, Jammu University, stressed the need for reactivating the habit of stamp collection among the youth. Professor Mattoo said stamps not only generated awareness, but were also a source of knowledge. The hobby was also an investment for the future because of the increasing value of old stamps, he said. He said the university would do everything possible to promote philately. He gave away prizes to winners in the competitive section of the exhibition. Philatelists Brahm Mehta and V.K. Gupta were present. Mr S.Samant, Chief Postmaster-General, said the exhibition was held here after a gap of 23 years. |
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