Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Nov 28: Notwithstanding the instructions of Union Home Ministry to ensure early acquisition of land for raising embankment along International Border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, the State Government is facing hiccups in the process as allottee refugees are not cooperating with the authorities.
The refugees of 1965 and 1971, who were allotted the agriculture land along the International Border from Akhnoor sector to Kathua, are not cooperating with the Revenue authorities in land identification process as they are not entitled for the compensation, official sources informed the Excelsior.
Since these refugees have neither ownership rights nor tenant right on the land along IB, which was allotted to them after their displacement from Chamb sector in 1965 and 1971, they are not entitled for the compensation in case of acquisition of the land under their possession, sources explained.
Pertinent to mention that on the instruction of Union Home Ministry, Border Security Force is going to raise embankment from Akhnoor Sector to Kathua to secure the local population residing along the IB with Pakistan from falling in the range of firing from across the border at the time of tension between the two countries. The embankment will be 135 feet wide and 10 meter high, which will be constructed by the Central Public Works Department in assistance with the BSF.
For the purpose, land in 118 villages along the border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts is being acquired by the Government.
Around seventy percent land along the International Border from Kathua to Akhnoor belongs to the J&K Custodian Department and possession of the same has been allotted to displaced refugees from PoK, who were settled here.
While the refugees of 1947 were settled on the Custodian land by giving them tenant rights, the displaced families of 1965 and 1971 were simply allotted the land without any right under Section 3-A, which means they are not entitled for any compensation in case of land acquisition by the Government, sources said while explaining the reason behind opposition of these people to embankment project.
According to sources, around 5000 displaced families of 1965 and 1971, are presently settled in the hamlets along the International Border, which include Sai, Devi Garh, Treva Camp, Chanan Camp, Pindi Camp, Nandpur, Dug, Jasmo Chak, Natwal Camp, Kagwala, Banglard, Sultanpur etc.
Unlike PoK refugees of 1971, these families have no tenant rights on the land allotted to them and hence Government did not compensate them earlier also for acquisition of their land for fencing the border, he said adding that despite repeated pleas of the affected families, no relief has yet been announced by the Government.
Admitting that the Government was facing non-cooperation of these refugee people in the process for acquisition of the land along IB, Divisional Commission Jammu, Shantmanu informed that the matter has been brought into the notice of Government recommending some policy for compensation to these affected families.
“So far the process of land identification for acquisition of the same has been completed in 45 villages along the IB and we are hopeful of finishing the task by March next with distribution of compensation by the Union Home Ministry,” he added.
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