SRINAGAR:There were 203 ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops on International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) this year in which 14 people, 13 live stock were killed and 50 houses damaged.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir government had sent a proposal to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India (GoI) in February to construct community type bunkers at various places along IB and LoC.
This information was given in a written reply to a joint question by Ramesh Arova, Vikramditya Singh and Dr Shehnaz Ganie by Chief Minister.
He said Pakistani troops have violated the ceasefire on IB and LoC 203 times this year upto September 18. The reply said 14 people were killed and 37 others were wounded in the shelling. As many as 13 live stock were also killed and 39 injured in the shelling which also damaged 50 houses.
During the year 2014, there were 190 ceasefire violation by Pakistan troops while in 2013 the number was 229, he said.
There was no death but 19 people were injured in 2013, while last year the number of deaths and injured were 14 ill respectively, the reply said.
In 2013, three houses were damaged and one live stock was killed while last year 56 animals lost their lives and 141 houses were damaged in the shelling from across the border.
The Minister said during the border shelling and firing at IB and LoC, the affected inhabitants are shifted to safer locations (temporary camps) to prevent any loss of lives. Civic amenities viz blankets, food, medicine, sanitary utilities, free transport are being provided to affected people. Ex-gratia as admissible under normal is also being paid to the affected families.
He said ex-gratia has been paid as per the existing normal of Rs one lakh in case of death, Rs 75,000 in case of permanent disability, Rs 5,000 for injured and compensation of 50 per cent assessed amount of the damage to the immovable property subject to the maximum ceiling of Rs one lakh in each case.
The reply said that ex-gratia of Rs 25,30,752 was paid in Jammu, Rs 13,08,942 in Samba, Rs 1,20,000 in Kathua, Rs 25,000 in Rajouri, 16,95,000 in Poonch in Jammu region and Rs one lakh in Baramulla in north Kashmir. However, the Minister admitted that due to cross border firing and shelling farming activities along have been affected to some extent. But no compensation has been paid or assessed.
The reply said a fully equipped ambulances with first aid material and medical staff are being deployed in the border areas during such exigencies and are kept at the disposal of police and other security and evacuating agencies. (UNI)
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