Settle territorial disputes of 3 districts
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 19: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said today that both Centre and State Governments were committed to address problems of border dwellers and have initiated series of steps in this direction even as she hoped that peace would prevail soon along the International Border (IB) and will live peaceful life there.
Mehbooba asserted this while inter-acting with 70 delegations from border areas of Samba district and the town during day-long “Public Grievance Darbar’ held at Samba district headquarters today. She approved development related works to the tune of Rs 2.35 crores on spot on the demands raised by the people of the district.
Number of representatives from the border areas told the Excelsior after meeting the Chief Minister that Mehbooba expressed deep concern over the plight of people living along the International Border in Samba district and surroundings, who suffered heavy losses in Pakistan shelling and firing repeatedly and assured them that the Centre and State Gover-nments were seized of their issues and were taking steps to address their issues.
“Both Centre and State Governments were working towards permanent solution to the problems of border dwellers. A number of steps have been initiated. A Study Group of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently visited the border areas of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts. It would visit other regions of the State too and shortly devise policy to resolve problems of the border people, arising out of frequent shelling and firing from Pakistan side,’’ Mehbooba told the border people from Samba belt while inter-acting with their delegations.
The Chief Minister told the delegations that she always batted for restoration of peace on the borders and hoped that this would be a reality soon.
Lauding bravery and courage of border dwellers especially the women, who faced bullets and shells but stayed put in their houses, Mehbooba said the border people deserved to be given all facilities and her Government would ensure that all issues raised by them in meetings with her are resolved at the earliest.
She assured them that the State Government has taken all steps to ensure that benefits of development reached right up to the border level and, in this direction, the Centre would also be approached for taking up more works under Border Area Development Programme (BADP).
Sources pointed out that the delegations from border areas wanted construction of individual and community bunkers, shifting of Government schools in safer zones, compensation for land ahead of fencing, 5 marla plots, special recruitment drive, strengthening of health centres, deployment of Critical Care Ambulances etc.
Mehbooba, who also holds charge of the Tourism Department, issued on spot instructions for bringing widely revered shrines of Baba Chamliyal and Baba Sidh Goria on tourist map by initiating series of facilities there to attract tourists. She directed that Baba Chamliyal shrine in Ramgarh district of Samba can also become a spot to promote border tourism.
The Chief Minister on spot resolved number of developmental related issues of the people from both urban and rural areas of Samba district pertaining to installation of electric transformers, poles, construction of roads etc.
Mehbooba assured the people of Samba district including the border areas that they wouldn’t lag behind in development as the State Government was committed to develop border districts and have already taken series of measures in this direction.
Sources said the issues pertaining to some villages of Udhampur, Samba and Kathua districts also figured at the meeting. Few villages falling in Mansar and Ghagwal have been linked to Udhampur and Kathua districts respectively despite falling close to Samba district headquarters.
Sources said people of eight Wards of Mansar wanted their villages to be affiliated with Samba district while residents of two Wards said they should be linked to Udhampur district. In Ghagwal and Rajpura villages, which fall in Samba district, people lamented that their PHE and PDD Sub Divisions fall in Kathua district and wanted creation of new Sub Divisions. Similarly, people from Purmandal said their BDO and CDPO offices have been kept at Kunjwani, which falls in Jammu district and should be shifted to Purmandal.
The Chief Minister directed her Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal to resolve these issues of territorial jurisdiction immediately.
Industries and Commerce Minister Chander Prakash Ganga, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rohit Kansal, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr Mandeep K Bhandari, DC Samba Sheetal Nanda, SSP Samba Anil Magotra and HoDs of all major departments attended the grievance Redressal camp.
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