Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 4: Jammu and Kashmir High Court today sought information from the Government about those persons who died rescuing the people in last year’s devastating floods.
The Division Bench comprising Justice MH Attar and Justice J R Kotwal while hearing advocate G A Lone in a public interest with regard to rehabilitation of flood victims directed counsel for the State, Mushtaq Chashoo (AAG), to provide information to the Court with regard to those persons who died during rescuing the people.
“Mr Chashoo learned AAG, to provide information to the court whether any person has died in the aforesaid circumstances. Details be provided about such persons and compensation, if any, paid to the claimants or kith and kin of such persons”, the bench directed.
The direction has been passed after submissions made by advocate Lone before the court that to his information some people lost their precious lives in the recent floods while rescuing the flood people and to his information nothing has been paid to them by the State Government till date.
With regard to issue of rehabilitation of flood affected families court directed all Deputy Commissioners except DC Ganderbal, Shopian, Poonch and Ramban to file compliance reports indicating therein whether possession of shelter sheds have been handed over to the affected families.
“The Deputy Commissioners other than the aforesaid Deputy Commissioners shall file compliance reports, indicating therein as to possession of how many shelter sheds has been handed over to the affected families and how many affected families have been paid the rent”, directed the bench.
Court passed the direction to DCs after perusal of status report filed by Chief Engineer PWD and R&B department wherein he has stated that his department has constructed 285 shelter sheds which are complete in all respects and the same has been handed over to concerned DCs.
“Excepting Deputy Commissioners Ganderbal, Shopian, Poonch and Ramban no other DC has filed compliance report as they were directed and it is not known to the court as to whether the possession has been handed over by these DCs to the affected families or rent has been paid to them”, court said.
Court earlier had given the deadline of completion of shelter sheds upto December 31 last year and handing over the shelter sheds to the affected families and payment of rentals by January 1 this year.
With regard to issue of providing ex-gratia from Prime Ministers Relief Fund (PMRF) to the victims appearing counsel for Central Government Showkat Makroo sought weeks time for filing of compliance report.
Earlier, according to him, Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50, 000 have been paid by Centre as ex-gratia from Prime Ministers Relief Fund (PMRF) for fully damaged and partially damaged houses respectively to those whose full particulars as well as bank details have been provided by the State Government. He had further submitted that State Government has not provided correct bank details in most cases due to which payment has not been made in their favour.
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