Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 8 : High Court today issued notice to the Government on the plea of the victim families of formerly artillery firing range Tosamaidan seeking adequate compensation.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Sanjay Dhar has issued notice to Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Secretary Ministry of Defence, Chief Secretary , Principal Secretary of Home Affairs, Director Social Welfare Kashmir, Chief Conservator forests, Kashmir, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Principal Chief Conservator forests J&K, Principal Chief Conservator Forests Wildlife Protection Department J&K and sought response from all of them within six weeks.
The NGO Tosdamaidan Front has approached the court through the medium of instant PIL for the redress of grievance of the public at large, seeking appropriate writ, for providing adequate compensation in favour of the families of deceased persons, disabled, handicapped or impaired due to the negligence of respondent authorities for their negligence.
Since the matter has already been decided by the court in a separate PIL and the directions as per the petitioner till date have not been complied with, the court said the initiation of contempt proceedings for not following said directions is one remedy but the fact remains that the orders passed by the Court have to be implemented. “We issue notice to all the respondents. Let all the respondents file their response within six weeks”, DB directed
The Public Interest Litigation, highlights the violation and infringement of Fundamental Rights of the people living in and around Tosamaidan area of J&K, non implementation of the directions passed by this High Court by the respondents and highlighting the sufferings of the victims of formerly artillery firing range.
The Government of Jammu and Kashmir, it is pleaded, authorized the execution of military maneuvers over the area of Tosa Maidan (Budgam) in the year 1965. Due to the field firing and artillery practice carried out by army from 1965 to 2014 in and around Tosa Maidan, innocent people have lost their lives or were left maimed.
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