Doda, Poonch, Rajouri migrants living in miserable condition
By Ravi K.Khajuria BELICHARANA, Feb 7: Since 1989 thousands of families were uprooted from valley, the domain of militancy and as the evil spread its tentacles in Jammu region, people living in far-flung areas too became victims of the menace.
Fearing risk to their lives hundreds of families also migrated from their native villages descending down on the winter capital.
Though most of the families which were hounded out of valley are getting relief package from the state government but displaced families from Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts are still languishing under miserable conditions at Belicharana Migrants' Camp.
Ostensibly the apathetic attitude of state government which perhaps seems reluctant to recognize them as migrants and treat them at par with migrants from Kashmir could be attributed to their shabby state of affairs.
However, when 119 militancy-affected displaced families from Doda district approached the court of law, the latter directed the state government to treat them at par with Kashmir migrants.
As per official sources these 119 families from Doda district are getting relief package from Relief Commissioner's (Migrants) Office Jammu.
But those who have been left out of the purview of the said court order besides displaced families from twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch are still languishing under miserable conditions with no assistance from the state government whatsoever jeopardizing their very survival at Belicharana Camp.
According to an official estimate till date there are 390 displaced families confined in Rajouri district, 517 in Poonch district, 411 in Udhampur district besides 104 in Doda district (excluding 119 families officially settled down in Jammu) to check further migration from these districts.
However, the camp dwellers with their eyes embedded deep in their wrinkled faces tell woeful tales of government apathy.
Talking to KTNS the president of Rajouri-Poonch displaced families Amarnath Sharma divulged that at present 175 families are putting up at the camp under inhumane and unhygienic conditions.
He said, "since migrating here in 1996 the government has so far provided us electricity.
The one room tenements have been constructed by the camp dwellers without any financial assistance from the government".
He recalled, "earlier there were 3100 families which had migrated here but in absence of any kind of relief package and the missing basic amenities, only 175 families are left here facing the vagaries of nature".
He said, "there was no arrangement for potable water and the women folk had to go out in search of water but now we have three water hand pumps installed by a social organisation Jammu Adhikar Morcha".
With sadness writ large on his face Amarnath said, "hoping of a helping hand a deputation had met the then Divisional Commissioner Anil Goswami, who sympathized with us and assured all possible assistance but on a pre-condition of going back to migrant camps in respective districts but expressed his inability to do anything here at Belicharana".
When asked that in absence of any kind of assistance how they are surviving, he said, "men, women and youth work as daily labourers doing petty works working in the nearby agricultural fields, collecting pebbles from Tawi river bed for contractors besides working as house maids and tractor drivers to feed themselves and family members".
He disclosed that a government primary school has been opened in the camp six months back but out of sheer poverty and backwardness only a handful of children are pursuing their education.
A claim which was later refuted by displaced families of Doda.
With no dispensary in sight camp dwellers also face another risk of snake bites as the area was abundant with venomous reptiles, said Sharma, adding only last year a youth Ami Chand died of snake bite.
Caught between the devil and the deep sea the majority of camp dwellers were found unwilling to go back to their native places as they could foresee their death in the militancy infested districts.
Another man Wali Mohammed Khan, who migrated along with his family members in 1999 from Gundoh in Doda district was also sore over continued neglect of displaced families from Doda by the state government.
Khan who brought back two youth into national mainstream and subsequently bore the brunt of militants had to fight a legal battle for four years in Supreme Court for getting the relief package in his favour.
Sharing his bitter experiences with KTNS, Khan, who has lost his nephew and niece in militancy said, "I had brought two youth back into the mainstream from Ganderbal who had joined militant ranks for which I paid a heavy price.
Irked over the incident eight to ten Harkat-ul-Ansar mil-itants abducted me from my house and kept me under captivity for three consecutive days torturing me during those nightmarish days but some how I escaped from their clutches".
Fearing ris-k to the lives of other family members Khan fled from Gundoh and reached Beli-charana Migrants' camp but to undergo another mental agony of fighting a long legal battle of four years in the apex court for getting the relief package sanctioned in his favour.
Khan's case was pleaded by Panther's Party supremo Prof Bhim Singh.
Khan said, "after fighting for my right for four years the relief package has been started to me and my family from January of this year but I still have to get the cash relief which has been promised to me".
He sarcastically said "I paid the price for being a patriot.
Soon after bringing back two youth into mainstream I had asked for protection but my pleas fell on deaf ears and subsequently I and my family became a target of militants".
He also informed that in wake of militancy around one thousand families have so far migrated from Doda district, out of which 400 to 450 families are putting up in Belicharana camp with no access to basic amenities.
In absence of dispensary and any medical aid Khan's seven year old son died last year.
Khan's another son Shahzad Ali, a matric drop out could not pursue his studies due to financial crunch the family has been confronting since migration.
Like Khan and Amarnath Sharma there were many more like a devout Hindu Balwant Singh, an elderly Sikh Hari Singh, noble Muslims Mohammed Shafi and Zahoor Din besides an emotionally ravaged Bihari Lal, who has lost his 18 year old son at new home in Belicharana camp perhaps hoping against hope that one day government will wake up from its deep slumber.
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