Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 15: Border Area People Welfare Forum (BAPWF) took out a car and tractor rally which started from Arnia and culminated at Tehsil Office Arnia.
President of the Forum Kamal Singh urged the Governor to consider the reservation benefits to the extent of 20 per cent to the people of border areas. He added that due to unprovoked firing of Pakistan, the people are living in very miserable condition as their houses are damaged. The people and their children are being frequently killed and injured in the Pak firing and the education of the students also suffers, he added.
He stated that people have to migrate from their houses to safer places and Government should also consider their long pending demands including providing of 7 marlas plots to the border residents.
The demands highlighted by other speakers included irrigation facilities, compensate to the tune of Rs 50 lakh along with martyred status who were killed in cross border firing, insurance cover to inhabitants, livestock, houses, crops and vehicles, exemption of electricity tariff used for irrigation purposes, honorarium to the tune of Rs. 10,000 per month per ration card as they are the first line of defence, constitution of border area development board, hostels should be set up at District Headquarters for the students, compensation to the owners whose land has been acquired for fencing on border and refugees of 1947, 1965, 1971 should be compensated as per the recommendations of JPC constituted by Government of India, voting rights and issuance of state subject to West Pak refugees.
Those, who spoke on the occasion were Saudhagar Singh, Som Nath Bhaat, Sub Girdhari Lal Saini, Sub Ajit Singh, Sub Sat Pal, Captain Swarn, Ex-Sarpanch Avtar Singh, Ex-Sarpanch Raghubir Singh, etc.
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