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| Nero see, Basohli burning | | |
Shiv Kumar Padha
It is a convention that the will of the prisoner is asked by the jail authorities before his execution. Even before transferring or shifting of the animals or birds from one place to the new, the civilized governments, take care to provide them with the conducive atmosphere and all sorts of amenities in the shape of pastures fodder water forests and bushes .It is quite discernible that during the negotiations, decision making and signing deal between Jammu Kashmir and Punjab Governments over the sharing of the water and power from Ranjeet Sagar Dam no such thought might have been given before deciding the fate of thousands of human beings living in and around Basohli town. And with one thoughtless stroke of the pen thousands of the innocent and patriotic citizens of Basohli were made to sacrifice on the alter of RSD..
The ponding of the Ranjit Sagar Dam signaled the count down of ruination of Basohli and the migration process. The people started deserting their homes like the birds leave their nests in despair. In this process the migrating families fell apart from each other and were lost in the wilderness .The speed of ponding accelerated the speed of migration in haphazard manner .With the result that thousands of the people who lived together, shared their joys sorrows interwoven with each other in many relations settled where they could afford among the aliens. The scene of migration reminded many aged people about partition of the country when brothers sisters and the relations parted with each other with the wet eyes.
It was the moral duty of the Jammu Kashmir government to have decided in advance about the fate of the people being affected by the construction of the RSD. All the modalities pertaining to their rehablitation availability of land on low rates construction material at the subsidized rates etc. should have been finalized beforehand. All the families having migrated could be very easily settled on the places away from dam water near Basohli town. This could save the migration of the families and enabled them save the little land compensation they had received. Ultimately the economy of Basohli would have revived.
It can be very easily construed why the state government remained mute spectator just like Nero who kept playing on the flute when the Rome was burning. The authorities meted out a cool treatment to Basohli perhaps due its being in Jammu province and situated at the tail end of the state. Under the agreement the share holders would get water, power and employment. The sudden oxodus of the families on mass scale was like a bolt from the blue. The Basohli market gave a deserted look due to the almost negligible number of customers. Many yong shop keepers had to close their shops and adapt other means of earning livelihood. In the evenings one can see the army of youth whose livelihood has been snatched by the cruel hands .The relatives who used to meet on occasions of joy and sorrows have been thrown apart by the wall of Berlin (RSD).
The prices of all the commodities are sky high .Along with the increase in the distances the bus fares have also become unbearable.
The building material is beyond the reach of the even richest. The Cost of one truck of bricks is Rs.17000/ And that of bajri and sand per truck is Rs.5000/ and Rs6000/ resp. About sarya and cement one cant comment anything. No person from Basohli can commute daily even between Basohli and Kathua.Bani people have to make one night stay at Basohli.Unemployment is prevailing in whole of the tehsil.There is no such Department like District Industriel centre, Village Khadi Gramdyoge or other which can help the idle youth select a vocation for them , If such treatment is meted out by the state government then the days are not far when this town will be totally ruined in the hands of its own state.
In addition to the problems being posed by the RSD, the local ex MLA and MP did not remain behind in aggravating the problems instead of solving them .They left no stone unturned in hindering the progress of the people whether it was parliament, state Assembly or District Development Board they always spoke against the interest of Basohli. The construction of the Sub District Hospital and Degree College is being delayed deliberately.
Every incoming or outgoing government looks serious in the matter of giving healing touch to the militants, their families in the matter of their rehabilitation employment waiving off their loans and un employment scholarship. The question arises whether there is any such provision with the state govt. for those who are sincere and patriot to the backbone, or who have been looted of what they had on their own land and by their own state.
It gives pain to bring it to the notice of those who have a little grain of sympathy with people of Basohli that not to talk of Chief Minister even a person to the rank of Director has not paid any visit for the last five years before whom people could open their heart for the redress of the most grievous problems. It is not yet too late if the state govt. grants a healing touch package containing subsidy in bus fares opportunities for jobs reservation in the matter of admission and employment, providing commodities at comparatively low rates, special subsidy on the building material etc.
Salute to the Jammuites for tolerating such step motherly treatment in the hands of their own elected govts silently. Had this all happened with the people of Kashmir the role of the govt. would have been reverse.
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