Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 3: Governor NN Vohra and Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami today directed the civil administration to immediately identify all possible steps required to be taken for the people living in the border areas to protect them from future Pakistan shelling and firing and submit the detailed proposal to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for its immediate implementation.
The steps required to strengthen the Indian positions like construction of roads right up to the International Border (IB), erection of fencing in left out areas, flood protection bunds and whatever steps could be taken for the people of the border villages falling along the IB were discussed in about two hours long meeting chaired by the Governor at the Civil Secretariat here this morning.
The meeting also reviewed the issues related to status of rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants, their recruitment in the State Government and construction of accommodation for those returning to Kashmir valley. The State Government requested Goswami to expedite urgent decisions on the package proposals already submitted for promoting the return of the migrants to their erstwhile houses.
Apart from Mr Goswami, the meeting was also attended by the MHA officials including Joint Secretaries of Kashmir Affairs and Border Management, Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary Planning and Development BR Sharma, Principal Secretary Finance BB Vyas, Principal Secretary Home Suresh Kumar, other concerned Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Shant Manu and the Deputy Commissioners of border districts among others.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is deeply concerned about the plight of people living in the border areas in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, which were being repeatedly shelled by the Pakistani Rangers leading to BSF and civilian casualties and huge loss of property of the people.
The MHA wanted a detailed proposal for allotment of plots to the border migrants in safer zones, mainly for those living within the firing and shelling range of Pakistan (about five kilometers from the Zero Line), construction of concrete community bunkers and other facilities for the people.
“The Government would soon submit detailed proposal to the MHA for protection of the border migrants,” sources said, adding the MHA would like to implement the proposal as early as possible after getting it from the Government.
There has been no let up in mortar shelling and firing by the Rangers, the latest round being on Thursday night in which three civilians were injured with mortar shells landing in Arnia town. Almost all border villages in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts have been badly affected by the firing.
According to sources, the construction of roads right up to Zero Line on the International Border to provide approach roads till the Border Out Posts (BOPs) of the BSF for speedy and easy mobility to security forces in transporting their weaponry or shifting injured in case of firing and shelling and erecting fencing in some areas, where it hadn’t been constructed due to riverine belts also figured prominently in the meeting.
The MHA wanted to provide free and easy access to the BSF right up to their border posts to facilitate easy mobility of the forces especially during Pakistan shelling or firing or in case of fidayeen attack by the militants. In Arnia fidayeen attack, Army had to use a smaller version of sophisticated tanks due to kuchha roads, where it was not possible for the bullet proof bunkers to move.
“The roads right up to the borders would help the vehicles move right up to the last post of the BSF, which would strengthen the position of security forces in case of any eventuality and also help in safe and easy shifting of the firing victims to the hospital,” sources said.
They added that as far as construction of 44 Border Out Posts (BOPs) for the BSF was concerned, the Governor directed immediate acquirements of the land in all three border districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua.
The Governor had directed Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Shant Manu to complete all formalities including acquisition of land completed by March 31 positively.
Sources said the Governor also invited attention of the Union Home Secretary towards increasing compensation for terror and cross border firing victims including civilians, police, Army and para-military personnel. The Home Secretary assured to take up this matter with the Union Home Minister immediately.
The Governor recalled his recent discussions with the Union Home Minister who had agreed to support the State Government’s proposal to extend immediate additional relief out of the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the people whose houses were severely or partially damaged in September 2014 floods.
He said it has been agreed to support the proposal for providing urgent assistance for the revival of small business enterprises. He noted that for expediting consideration of the other components of the Special Financial Package, the Ministry of Home Affairs will continue to be the Nodal Ministry for coordinating the action with the various concerned Ministries and Departments of the Government of India.
The Union Home Secretary assured full support of the Ministry of Home Affairs in regard to the provision of maximum possible relief to the flood victims. He noted that a World Bank team is presently visiting the State to consider various proposals for funding the reconstruction of flood damaged assets.
“Consequent to detailed sector wise discussions, the Governor directed all the concerned Administrative Secretaries to prepare sector wise proposals of the different proposals contained in the Special Financial Package and ensure that the same are forwarded most early to the concerned Central Ministries, with copies to the Union Home Ministry, to enable very early decisions,” sources said.
Sources recalled that an amount of Rs. 1102.56 crore has already been sanctioned from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), to meet the expenditure incurred by the State Government for the immediate relief and restoration of damaged infrastructure, and the action now required to be taken most urgently is to prepare sector wise specific proposals for submission to the Government of India.
The Governor urged the Union Home Secretary to secure special emphasis for augmenting the allocations under the Border Area Management Programme so that the developmental efforts in the border areas can be accelerated.
The meeting decided that Joint Secretary (Kashmir) and Joint Secretary (Border Management) will visit the State every month for expediting action on various issues in regard to relief and rehabilitation of the people affected by floods, border firing, issues etc.
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