Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 30: The families living in the houseboats on river Jhelum today demanded immediate rehabilitation while stating that the houseboats they are living in are no longer safe and can sink in the water anytime.
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Scores of such families appeared in the Press Enclave and were raising slogans in favour of their demands while they also urged the administration to implement the High Court orders that have been issued in this connection.
Noor Muhammad, one of the houseboat owners said that in 2008 their houseboats were de-registered and back then some of the families were rehabilitated while some were left to fend for themselves.
“Since then, we have been running from pillar to post seeking rehabilitation, but not a single officer addressed our issue,” he said.
There are at least 105 such families that are residing in the houseboats on the Jhelum, out of which 35 families have said that they are not going to surrender the houseboats, while as the rest of the families have given it in writing that they are ready to surrender the houseboat while also seeking immediate rehabilitation.
The protestors said that they have been meeting the officers concerned who have been telling them that the matter will be taken up in the HLC meeting. “However, they have been conducting such meetings, but our issue remains unaddressed,” Noor Muhammad said.
They said that the winters have arrived and that there is every chance that these houseboats will sink in Jhelum as the owners of these houseboats have not been able to carry out necessary repairs. “They have not been able to repair them due to financial constraints as well as due to the cancellation of the licences,” the protestors said.
The protestors said that they have met the Divisional Commissioner as well as the Deputy Commissioner but to no avail. “They have directed for the rehabilitation even the High Court has directed the same, but the orders have not been implemented,” the protestors said.
They said that earlier, they were even shown the land, and then DC told them that the land will be handed over to them after the necessary landfilling and after the construction of the boundary wall. “Despite assurances, nothing happened since then,” they said.
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