Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 16: The PoK refugees held a massive rally here today in protest against the recent move of State Government to formulate a package without taking the aspirations of the refugees into consideration.
The rally was organized by DP’s Front J&K an organization of 1947, 1965, 1971 refugees and Non Camp people under the chairmanship of Yudhvir Singh Chib.
Hundreds of PoK refugees putting at different places participated in the demonstration at Canal Road and later took out a procession to Press Club. The procession passed via GGM Science College and Jewel Chowk. The protestors demanded settlement of their grievances.
They said the proposed Rs 25 lakh package for West Pak refugees, 20 lakh for DPs in urban areas and 15 lakh for DPs in rural areas was not sufficient.
Maintaining that package was not sufficient as per the damage and losses suffered by them in shape of their left over property etc, they demanded the same be reviewed.
The protestors said that secondly Central Government was constructing a wall along the International Border from Kathua to Pallanwala. This will create a problem for DPs of J&K because the evacuees property and land has been allotted to them without ownership right. The land coming under this wall is mostly EP land and it is under the occupation of DPs of J&K who this way will be deprived of the same.
The protestors urged the State and Central Governments to look into this problem.
They demanded enlistment of left over DPs who have not been yet registered with the Government. There are 9600 DPs’ families of 1947 and about 1600 families of 1971 which have not been registered till date.
It further demanded that the non camp DPs of 1947, 1965 and 1971 be given ownership rights for land and other property, issuance of ALC certificates to all DPs of 1947, 65 and 71 and non camp people, 15 per cent reservation in educational institutions as well as professional colleges to the wards of DPs, grant of backward status to DPs, landless and houseless DPs of 1947, 65 and 71 be given monthly stipend, DPs be allotted land as per laid down scale, the DPs whose land is falling on border or near ditches be allotted alternative land, payment of Rs 68 lakh relief to per refugee family of 1971, formation of Development Board for refugees, remittance of rent to those refugees who are paying rent for custodian houses and holding of elections on 24 seats reserved for PoK from the DPs.
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