Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 12: Drawing attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards escalated tension on the border and consequent plights of the people there, former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has demanded parity in the payment of ex-gratia relief to the kins of those who are killed in Pakistani firing and terrorist violence.
In a letter to the PM, Mr Azad has also demanded adequate compensation to border farmer for inability to cultivate their lands due to continued tensions and security hazards; coverage of life, crops, property, livestock, etc under Insurance scheme; declaration of 5-8 kms belt of International Border as “Backward Area” for the purpose of reservation in education and employment and special recruitment drive in army/paramilitary forces/State police.
“It is pertinent to note here that these issues cannot be addressed by the State Government unless the Central Government extends full support, including financial assistance, to the State of Jammu & Kashmir. In view of the above, it is, therefore, once again requested to look into the issues raised hereinabove sympathetically and pass immediate directions to the concerned Ministries for finding early solution to them,” Azad said in the letter, copy of which has also been sent to Governor N N Vohra.
While elaborating on the prevailing uncertainty and grim situation on border, the former Union Minister has also appealed the Prime Minister to take up the issue of unprovoked firing from across the border with Pakistan in a forceful and appropriate manner.
“I seek your personal intervention in the matter so that situation on the border is normalized at the earliest,” he said.
While highlighting the grievances and plights of border residents, Azad said that besides loss of life, houses, private properties, livestock, crops, etc have also witnessed largescale damage while agricultural activities and educational system has become a casualty, posing a grave danger to socio-economic advancement of the border people.
Thousands of people have been forced to migrate to safer locations due to incessant and unprovoked firing and heavy shelling by the Pakistani forces and a general state of insecurity and despondency has gripped the entire border belt where people are living under the looming threats of guns and bayonets, he said in the letter.
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