Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 6: A delegation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits called on MP Srinagar, Parliamentary constituency, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and submitted a memorandum to him highlighting the problems of displaced Pandits in general and PM package employees in particular.
The delegation appealed him to highlight the plight of the Kashmiri displaced people and PM package employees in Lok Sabha. Rakesh Handoo, a social activist, on behalf of the Package employees working in the Valley and Kashmiri Pandit migrant families living in exile sought the intervention of MP Srinagar to address the critical issues affecting this community, both within and outside the Valley.
The challenges faced by KPs today are multifaceted, spanning across generations of displaced families and employees working under the PM Package, the memorandum added.
It said package employees are bound to serve exclusively in the Valley, with no option for transfer. This violates Article 23 of the Indian Constitution, which prohibits forced labour, depriving them of the right to work and live with dignity.
Despite 10 years of BJP governance at the Centre and LG rule in J&K, transit camps for these employees remain incomplete. There has been no possession of these accommodations, forcing employees to continue living in rented homes without reimbursement.
It further said employees remain separated from their aging parents and families in Jammu due to lack of a ten-year transfer policy, further fracturing family structures and adding to their psychological and emotional burden.
The supernumerary clause has stymied career progression, leaving employees demoralized and without hope for professional growth or financial stability. These supernumerary posts should be abolished and merged at par with State/UT Government employees.
Moreover employees suffering from life-threatening illnesses are left without the option of transfer or deputation closer to family or adequate healthcare facilities, worsening their already precarious situations.
The memorandum said the migrant families living in Delhi/NCR have not received relief funds since April 2024, leading to severe financial distress. Families, including those with cancer and chronic illnesses, are struggling to survive. The Kashmiri Pandit migrant camps in Jammu, such as TRT Nagrota, Jagti, Muthi, Purkhoo, and Buta Nagar, are in deplorable condition. Buildings are crumbling, and no administrative efforts are being made to repair them. These camps are disasters waiting to happen in the event of a natural calamity.
Despite repeated announcements by the Prime Minister and Home Minister, no new relief measures or engagements have been implemented since 2018.
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