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| Agonies of 1965/1971 Refugees from Chamb and those living on LOC/IB have not ended yet | | A Look through the mist | | Daya Sagar | 11/6/2013 10:22:04 PM |
| All most all people from about 12 to 14 villages of Chamb Distt Jammu ( J&K) were uprooted in 1965 from Chamb and people of all the villages of Chamb (about 46 to 48villages of Chamb ) were in a way asked by GOI to vacate their homes / lands in 1972 after Shimla agreement was signed by India with Pakistan after 1971 Indio Pak war. As per rough estimates and information that has been emerging from Government sources nearly 6500 to 7000 families were uprooted / affected in 1971/1972. Of these ( 1971 War ) around 4600 families comprising of nearly 19000 souls were accommodated in relief camps and nearly 1600 to 2000 families were treated as Non Camp DPs 1971 The affected people say that numbers are much more.
How much human and physical damage these people have suffered has yet to be evaluated in a regular manner. The issues as regards the land allotment to agricultural families and making good the less allotment by additional lands / cash compensations as well as the demands of the urban families have not been yet disposed to the satisfaction of these families by GOI/ State Government.
Government must on priority draw out data on the number of families & population in 1971 and 2013 so that there are no confusions.
These families were made refugees in their own contrary in view of the policy decision of GOI and hence they deserved special rehabilitation , employment and education packages but no such steps were taken neither GOI nor J&K Government . Rather there existed all justification to bring them under backward class status because from 1947 to 1971 they lived in continuously disturbed conditions due to Pakistani violations of ceasefire along IB/LOC and in 1971 they had been made refugees under the policy of the Government. But no socio economic support has been given to them and hence their social/ administrative/ educational/ economic backwardness has further grown after 1971. As per the information available it was decided by government to provide lands to rural agriculture families at a uniform rate of 4Acres Abi land and 6 Acres of khuski land . What has been the basis for fixing such scale uniformly is not known. Another question is of one time compensation for the properties left behind by them. Even the land deficiency compensation on the basis of scales mentioned above where ever extended has been totally unrealistic ie. far far less than the market rates of lands .
The urban families were not atall treated fairly. Government must make public what has been their total number and what one time financial assistance has been provided to them in 1970s / what regular monthly has been given to them.
The government has treated the Chamb refuges under two categories ie Camp DPs and Non Camp DPs. This classification has not been simply on the basis of their stay after the 1972 Shimla Agreement in J&K but the classification in a way has been more to deny even the marginal benefits and support that government claims to have given to the Camp DPs 1971.
Government of India must make public if any assessment been made of the properties left behind in Chamb Refugees ( Non Camp DPs of 1971 and Camp DPs of 1971 separately ).
In 1999 Government of India did set up a committee head by Mr. R.D .Kapoor Addl Secretary in MHA for looking into the grievances of all categories of refugees/ displaced persons in J&K . Those the committee had rushed its exercise and the recommendations did not satisfy the suffering people but even the half recommendations made by the Committee in 2000 were adequately taken care .Some Non Camp DPs ( they too had lost their lands/ houses / assets ) are said to have objected for their not being even at par with camp DPs .
Inspite of the 1965 /1971 Chamb Refugees having been made to leave their homes under a GOI policy still inspite of there being all justifications for providing sponsored admissions / reservations to their children in private and Government educational institutions like Kashmiri Migrants of 1990 no such support has been extended. J&K Government did appoint a Cabinet Sub Committee head by J&K Finance Minister to look into the proposals and demands like enhancement of ex gratia of Non Camp DPs but such issues are still pending. It is also said that there were some labour class refugees in 1971/72 and they have been the worst sufferers.
It has been understood from some sources that GOI has asked State Government to submit special package proposals concerning the Chamb DPs of 1965 and 1971 . It could be only wished that such proposals would sent soon and after that the refugees are also heard before making final orders.
Some poor 1971/1965 refugees have alleged that they have been allotted bad lands and in some cases in small pieces scattered over different areas .
So, after the 1971 Indo Pak war under an arrangement some areas of Chamb ( Jammu District of J&K) were in a way permanently surrendered / handed over to Pakistan by India in 1972 after Shimla Agreement. The Chamb population that was dislocated from Chamb as refugees even after many years of 1947 Accession have not been adequately compensated. There is utmost need for constitution of a Commission also with members from Civil society and Chamb refugees to draw out the socio Economic compensations, assistance and preferences that need be given to Chamb Refugees.
In addition to this the people residing along LOC / Borders in J&K ( Samba, Kathua, R.S Pura, Akhnoor, Nowshera, Rajouri, Poonch, Uri, Kupwara, Kargil, etc) have all these years been leading a disturbed life and often moving back & forth. Although some concessions are there but these people need be properly rehabilitated and given special support through preference in education, government services as well as economic assistances. Their agriculture has remained badly affected even after 6 decades of States accession with India. The fear of regular dislocations due to firing on LOC/ borders the education of the children has badly suffered. Their economy has remained depressed. Their administrative backwardness has further grown since the wards of economically weaker families amongst them could acquire higher and professional education inspite of there being some reservations in the name of LOC reservations. In brief there is utmost need for constitution of a Commission / Board/ Commission for assessing their socio- economic and educational needs ; for extending the economic and professional support like scholarships, loans etc , for trainings & placements and such like issues since unless the Pakistani guns are not made to silence they will remain disturbed. The number of population affected by disturbances along LOC/IB, displacements in 1965 and 1971 and refugees from Chamb area could be not less than 10 Lakhs.
--(* Daya Sagar is a Sr columnist of Kashmir affairs and a social activist [email protected]). |
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