M A I N   N E W S

LEH REVISITED
In Leh, Sukhbir has many more promises to keep
Jupinderjit Singh /TNS

Skalzang Angmo outside her new house in Choglamsar.

Leh, July 20
At the time of a tragedy, politicians, cutting across party lines, often promise the moon to the victims. But not all promises are kept.

Twelve-year-old Skalzang Angmo is a living example. Her case, highlighted by The Tribune last year, had moved many to come forward to help.

The wounds of losing her elder sister and their house and in last year’s cloudburst on the night of August 5-6 continue to hurt, but equally painful are some of the promises, made to her by politicians, that have not been kept.

Union Education Minister Kapil Sibal had promised free education to Angmo. This promise was kept as she is studying free of cost at Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya in Chandigarh.

However, the promise to reimburse her one-time free air travel to Chandigarh from Leh for taking admission was not kept. The girl and her mother Stanzin Dolma claim that no money was paid.

“We are grateful for the free education and we hope that the promise of free higher education would be kept. But her transportation from Chandigarh costs us Rs 50,000 annually. No one has footed the bill yet. Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal had specifically promised it,” said Stanzin Dolma.

Two Sikh families of Leh find themselves in a similar state. They too were promised much, but have not got a single penny out of the Rs 5 lakh each compensation promised by Sukhbir.

“We have not received a single penny,” lamented Harbans Singh, owner of a book shop in the Polo Ground market.

“I lost a house and a book store. Many books there cost over Rs 10,000. No one compensated me for the books. Then Sukhbir Badal came and promised Rs 5 lakh to both the families.

“Our photos meeting him appeared in all newspapers and TV channels. But we are yet to receive the money,” he said showing the damaged books and the news clippings of Sukhbir meeting them.

His brother Balwinder Singh owned a hardware store. He has also not received any aid. A Jammu-based RTI activist Balvinder Singh had raised their issue many times, but to no avail. He claims that he had sent a representation to Sukhbir Badal, but there was no reply.

Sukhbir Badal had promised Rs 1 crore relief for cloudburst victims which he gave to the Leh administration, but his individual promises, for which he got maximum mileage in the media, are yet to be kept.

To be fair to junior Badal, the Leh administration hails his contribution. Deputy Commissioner T Angchok said the contribution of the Punjab Government, especially Sukhbir Badal, who brought several trucks of essential commodities, cannot be forgotten.

“He led a delegation of MPs and MLAs and brought a lot of aid for which Leh would always be grateful. However, we have no details of the relief given in individual cases. As far as I can remember, the girl, Angmo, was promised help if she required it. No one from her family has approached us.”

Sukhbir Badal was not available for comments.