*Compensation for damages to movable property being proposed
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 5: As the recent heavy shelling from across the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) has thrown several new challenges before the administration, the State Government has decided to approach Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for relaxations/modifications in the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme so as to provide compensation for the damages to the movable property.
The Security Related Expenditure is a non-plan scheme and its objective is to supplement the efforts of the Jammu and Kashmir to augment its resources to fight terrorism and contain militancy besides maintaining law and order in the State. The SRE Scheme has two components-police/action plan and elections and relief and rehabilitation (R&R).
Under this scheme, the damages to immovable property due to shelling and firing from across the border and loss of life or injuries are covered and compensation is provided to the affected persons as per the provisions of the Security Related Expenditure.
However, the recent heavy shelling and firing from across the International Border and Line of Control in five districts of Jammu province-Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch have thrown many new challenges before the State Government, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“Besides causing extensive damage to the immovable property and loss of human lives and injuries to the civilians, the shelling has also resulted into burning of crops on large chunk of land and loss of livestock but the State Government is unable to provide compensation as movable assets and burning of crops are not covered under the Security Related Expenditure Scheme”, sources said.
Moreover, there is no provision for providing compensation for the damages to the goods carriers during any violent incident like the recent ones witnessed in the Kashmir valley during over three months long unrest, sources informed.
All these new challenges and the inability of the administration to provide compensation were deliberated upon in a high-level meeting convened by the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti on November 3 at her residence at Jammu. After thorough discussion, the Chief Minister directed the Chief Secretary B R Sharma, who was also present in the meeting, to prepare a detailed note for the Union Ministry of Home Affairs elaborating the difficulties being faced by the Government in providing compensation for the burnt crops, death or injury to livestock due to border shelling and damages to the goods carriers in the violent incidents during over three months long unrest in Kashmir valley.
Soon after opening of Darbar at Jammu on November 7, the Chief Secretary will initiate action on the directions of the Chief Minister after obtaining latest data from the Divisional Commissioners of both the provinces, they said, adding the State Government would request the MHA to give certain relaxations or modify the Security Related Expenditure Scheme keeping in view all these new challenges so that affected people are provided the compensation.
They informed that Chief Minister has decided to even personally take up these issues with the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh so that early decision is taken on the request of the J&K Government vis-à-vis modifications or relaxations in SRE guidelines.
In response to a question, sources said, “till date no compensation has been provided for the crop gutted due to shelling while as compensation has been provided from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the loss of livestock in the border shelling and firing by following the parameters defined under the SDRF guidelines”, adding “as far as damages to the goods carriers during unrest in Kashmir valley are concerned, only assistance has been provided for the injuries suffered by the operators under Red Cross Fund”.
About standing crop on huge chunk of land which could not be harvested till date, sources said, “the Chief Minister is of the opinion that it would be very difficult for providing compensation in such cases”. However, she has directed the Deputy Commissioners of the concerned districts particularly of Jammu, Samba and Kathua to motivate the farmers for early start of harvesting of crops especially when there is improvement in the situation on the borders, sources added.
The Deputy Commissioners have been asked to convince the non-local groups which are generally engaged for harvesting to come and assist the farmers, sources said, adding the Chief Minister was informed that since harvesting has yet not been started even on other side of the border and the Pakistani Rangers may not provoke the border guards of India by resorting to fresh shelling and firing our farmers should also take benefit of this situation and complete harvesting as early as possible.
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