Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 21: The people injured in border firing in Arnia area of R S Pura Sector rued State administration for ignoring them totally and not providing any ex-gratia as admissible under norms to the firing victims who received splinter injuries of mortar shells fired from across the border by Pakistani troops on May 18.
Ashwani Kumar, S/o Swaran Singh of village Kotla Camp, Treva in Arnia Sector of R S Pura is one among such eight people who was injured in Pak shelling on May 18 from the area and was admitted in Emergency Ward of GMC has not been paid any ex-gratia for the treatment by the administration.
Besides, Meena Devi wife of Shamsher Lal of Treva was also injured in Pak shelling on the same day after she received a splinter of a shell beneath her shoulder. Meena too remained admit in Emergency Ward of GMC since then and this morning she was discharged by the doctors.
Meena said that she was also not provided any ex-gratia by the Government while two other injured patients were given Rs 5000 and Rs 10,000 respectively by the Administration for treatment.
Ashwani who is working on contractual basis at Airport is the lone member to support a family of three persons including his old mother and school going younger brother. But after being injured in Pak shelling he is unable to attend his job and family’s source of earning has stopped for some time.
“We are in distress as on the one hand I can’t attend my job for a month or so till I recover fully with the result loss of my earning, on the other hand we have not been considered whatever meager compensation was given to the injured people in border firing which is totally unfortunate”, said Ashwani.
He said “the situation is volatile along the border and people can’t work in the fields to eke out their living. Under these circumstances if Government also turns a blind eye what will happen to us as we can’t pull on and feed our families”, he added.
Meena Devi another injured who was undergoing treatment in Emergency Ward of GMC and was discharged by doctors this morning said that she too did not receive any help or aid from the authorities. Meena has received splinter injuries below her shoulder.
Krishan Lal is another person from Treva village who was also admitted in GMC with serious injuries but he too was ignored by the Government which did not to pay any compensation to him. Besides, there are some more patients who did not receive any compensation from the authorities.
Seema Devi of R S Pura area who has also received the injuries in her chest and is undergoing treatment in GMC for last four days has also not been paid any ex-gratia by the administration so far.
When contacted District Development Commissioner Jammu who is also incharge of Red Cross, Rajiv Ranjan said that the ex-gratia was given to those injured persons who were recommended by Medical Superintendent of GMC and who were admitted in the Hospital for over 24 hours.
“Those injured persons were paid the ex-gratia whose names were recommended by the Medical Superintendent GMC to the administration”, he said. “We paid Rs 5000 from Red Cross to them”, he added.
He however said that if any body has been neglected who remained admit for over 24 hours and had suffered serious injury the administration will definitely pay ex-gratia to him also.
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